Overview
- UKHSA data released Tuesday showed 14 confirmed cholera cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2025, up from nine in 2024.
- Thirteen cases were linked to recent travel, mainly to Pakistan, India and Ethiopia, where cholera is endemic or outbreaks have persisted.
- One additional case followed drinking water from an endemic country, highlighting risks from unsafe water outside the UK.
- Cholera spreads through contaminated water or food, not usually person to person, and can cause life-threatening dehydration within hours if untreated.
- WHO and UKHSA report ongoing global activity, with cases in 33 countries in 2025 and the Eastern Mediterranean most affected after 39 countries reported outbreaks in 2024.