Zambia Grapples With Regional Cholera Outbreak

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA - FEBRUARY 24: Graves of victims who died from cholera as seen at Chingwele Cemetery on February 24, 2024 in Lusaka, Zambia. Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa. Over the past two years, the epidemic has left a devastating trail, infecting more than 220,000 individuals, and claiming the lives of over 4,000 people in 19 countries across the continent. Public health experts attribute the widespread devastation to a confluence of factors, including increasingly intense storms driven by climate change, a shortage of vaccines, and inadequate water and sewer infrastructure. Among the affected nations, Zambia stands as one of the hardest hit, grappling with its deadliest cholera outbreak on record. Since October, the country has witnessed over 700 fatalities and more than 18,500 infections, although cases and deaths have shown signs of slowing since their peak in January. (Photo by Luke Dray/Getty Images)