The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported more than 35,000 cases of cholera since the beginning of 2025, as stated by Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that the country remains “in an acute phase” of the epidemic, with the number of cases continuing to rise across 17 affected provinces, according to national health officials.
“Last week, we recorded approximately 1,500 cases. Now, as I mentioned, we have reached 2,000 cases. We are still in the acute phase,” Mr. Kamba explained during a press conference in Kinshasa on Monday.
Cholera, which has been endemic in several provinces of eastern DRC for the past fifty years, is experiencing an accelerated spread this year, particularly in Kinshasa, the capital with over 17 million residents.
“Cholera first arrived in our country in 1973 and has never left. It has primarily remained within the eastern regions,” the minister recalled.
“Occasionally, it re-emerges in epidemic form; more often, it manifests as endemic, meaning there is always a certain number of ongoing cases that are quickly localized. However, there are times when it can lead to widespread epidemics,” he noted.
Currently, Tshopo province is the most affected, followed by Kinshasa, Sud-Kivu, Maniema, and Nord-Kivu. The national average fatality rate has now reached 3%, with Kinshasa experiencing a peak of 9%.
Sporadic cases have also been detected in central provinces, raising concerns among authorities.
Despite mobilized resources, the health minister acknowledged that “80% of deaths still occur within communities before patients reach the hospital.”
According to the minister, the primary factors contributing to this outbreak include repeated flooding, lack of access to clean drinking water, unsanitary conditions, and large population displacements.
To mitigate cross-border risks, the Congolese minister pledged to enhance epidemiological surveillance at border posts through the National Border Hygiene Program.
The World Health Organization reports that the Congolese Ministry of Health officially declared a cholera epidemic on May 5, 2025.
