Global cholera deaths surged 50 percent last year: WHO

Reported cholera cases rose by five percent and deaths by 50 percent globally in 2024 compared to 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday.

The WHO's global cholera statistics for 2024 showed the scope of cholera outbreaks continued to expand last year, with nearly 560,000 infections reported in 60 countries and regions and more than 6,000 people dying from the disease. The number of countries and regions reporting cases increased from 45 in 2023.

The burden of the disease remained concentrated in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, which collectively accounted for 98 percent of all reported cases, according to the WHO.

A total of 12 countries each reported more than 10,000 cases, seven of which experienced large outbreaks for the first time last year. Notably, the East African island country of Comoros reported a resurgence of cholera in 2024 after more than 15 years without outbreaks.

The case fatality ratio for Africa increased from 1.4 percent in 2023 to 1.9 percent in 2024, said the WHO.

Conflict, climate change, population displacement, and long-term deficiencies in water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure continue to fuel the rise of the disease, which spreads rapidly through feces-contaminated water, it said.

Preliminary data show that the global cholera crisis continues into 2025, with 31 countries and regions reporting outbreaks since the beginning of the year.

As of Aug 17, more than 409,000 cholera and acute watery diarrhea cases had been reported across the world, a drop of 20 percent compared with the same period in 2024. And 4,738 people had died from the disease globally, an increase of 46 percent from 2024, according to the WHO.

Global cholera deaths surged 50 percent last year: WHO

Global cholera deaths surged 50 percent last year: WHO

Global cholera deaths surged 50 percent last year: WHO

Global cholera deaths surged 50 percent last year: WHO

A growing number of Chinese energy companies are increasing their presence in the Persian Gulf as they get deeply involved in the region's energy transition.

As a highlight of China-Gulf cooperation, green energy projects carried out by Chinese companies in Gulf states gained spotlight at the 18th World Future Energy Summit, which took place from Wednesday to Thursday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A shining example is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. As one of the largest single-site solar parks in the world, the solar thermal plant is a key project to help Dubai achieve its carbon reduction goals and significantly increase the share of clean energy in the city's power mix.

"Upon completion in 2030, it will exceed 8,000 megawatts, and it will reduce 8.5 million tons of carbon emmissions on an annual basis. And it will raise Dubai's clean energy capacity up to 36 percent," said Ali Hayat, a senior engineer of the project.

In recent years, more and more Chinese energy product suppliers have transitioned to a new role as investors by building plants and regional offices in the Gulf region to deepen their participation in local energy transition.

"China has been absurdly in the lead in both ways -- in providing technologies that make the cost of solar panel to be affordable around the world, and also in an amazing increase of the share of renewable energy in the energy system," said Francesco La Camera, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Chinese companies seek greater role in Gulf states' energy transition