Cholera is spreading rapidly across West and Central Africa, with active outbreaks now reported in six countries, according to the UN children’s agency UNICEF. The disease is putting millions of children at growing risk in the region.

Nigeria has the largest outbreak, with over 50,000 cases and 338 deaths since January 1, 2026. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded the highest death toll, with nearly 700 deaths from more than 30,400 cases. In the Central African Republic (CAR), children under 10 years old account for 44 percent of reported cases.

Seasonal rains, flooding, population displacement, and cross-border transmission are accelerating the spread of cholera, a waterborne disease that is both preventable and treatable. The outbreaks are concentrated along two major transmission corridors, including the Lake Chad Basin, where the same Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa strain affects Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

“This outbreak is no longer confined by borders,” said Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, on Tuesday, August 12, 2026. “It is moving along shared rivers, trade routes and population movements, putting millions of children at risk.”

UNICEF is calling for $15 million in additional funding to scale up its response over the next six months to contain the outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations.

Sources