Cholera Outbreaks are on the Rise Again

The number of cases globally has surged since 2021, as war and the climate crisis pile pressure on vaccine supplies.

People get cholera after exposure to a bacteria, usually by drinking contaminated water. Sufferers develop acute, watery diarrhoea. The first line of treatment is rehydration salts, dissolved in water for patients to drink. Some severe cases will need IV fluids, and antibiotics can be given to curtail the illness and limit symptoms.