UNITED NATIONS - A global surge of cholera cases has put one billion people in 43 countries, including Pakistan, at risk, the World Health Organization (WHO), a Geneva-based UN agency, has warned. Three countries, this week alone, have reported outbreaks, WHO cholera team leader Philippe Barboza told reporters at a press conference on Friday, according to a UN press release issued in New York on Sunday. For the first time, WHO is asking donors for help to fight the outbreaks, he said. Right now, 22 countries across the world are fighting outbreaks of the acute diarrhoeal infection caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Cholera cases climbed in 2022, following years of falling numbers of cases, and the trend is expected to continue into this year, he said. He said cases have been reported in five of the six regions where WHO operates. The latest WHO global overview published in early February showed the situation has further deteriorated since 2022.
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Poverty, disasters, conflict and climate change consequences continue to be driving factors alongside a lack of access to safe water and sanitation, Dr Barboza said. “An unprecedented situation requires an unprecedented response,” he said, drawing attention to the limited availability of vaccines, medicines, and testing kits. Only 37 million doses are available in 2023, he said. More doses are expected to be available by next year. As a result of the current global surge, WHO is, for the first time ever, appealing to donors to support a $25 million fund to help to address cholera outbreaks and save lives, he said. Prevention is key, he said, noting that nearly half of the world lacks access to safely managed sanitation.