By Cecilia Chiluba/Zambia/Lusaka
Zambia has, in the last 24 hours, recorded four new cholera cases from Lusaka District, bringing the cumulative total to 957 cases since the outbreak was first detected in August 2025.
The country has been responding to a cholera outbreak initially detected on 5 August 2025 in Mpulungu District of Northern Province. Since then, 20 districts across eight provinces have reported cases.
Luapula and Eastern Provinces have remained free of confirmed cholera cases throughout this period.
As of 23 February 2026, Zambia has recorded a cumulative total of 957 cholera cases and 20 deaths. Of the 20 deaths, 10 occurred in health facilities and 10 in community settings, underscoring the continued importance of early symptom recognition and prompt care-seeking.
Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament on Tuesday, Acting Health Minister Cornelius Mweetwa said the cholera outbreak has evolved over time and across geography, with Northern Province — particularly Mpulungu District — remaining the epicentre, accounting for about 70 percent of all reported cases.
“Transmission in this region has been prolonged, with periods of decline followed by resurgences, including a second wave in Mpulungu. These patterns reflect residual environmental contamination, cross-border population movement, fishing-related activities, and persistent gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene.”
“From November 2025, transmission shifted southwards and became more centralized, with outbreaks detected in Monze District and later in Lusaka Province,” he said.
According to the Minister, this trend reflects urban and peri-urban spread linked to population mobility, informal settlements, and sanitation challenges.
“While several districts have met the 28-day zero-reporting threshold, Lusaka province is now the primary focus of transmission, with low-level, geographically widespread sporadic cases across multiple sub-districts and health facilities,” Mr. Mweetwa added.
He stated that Zambia’s Ministry of Health, working with its partners, has recently deployed and administered three doses of the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) to at-risk populations living in Chainda Compound in Lusaka to supplement other high-level interventions aimed at combating the outbreak.
“Dose 1 targeted 35,700 eligible population of which 35,395 (99.1%) were reached. Out of the 35,395 population that received the first dose, 32,987 (93.2%) were reached with dose 2, while 32,474 (99% of those that received dose 2) received third and final dose. Efforts are under way to administer 3 doses to community members who did not receive the vaccines during the campaign period.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Mweetwa disclosed that Zambia’s availability of essential medicines at Primary Health Care facilities currently stands at 92 percent, while in hospitals it averages 80 percent.
“This is an improvement as compared to the availability that was achieved in September 2025 of 90% and 78% in Primary Health Care and in Hospitals respectively.”
“These achievements are attributable to yearly increased budgetary allocation for procurement of medicines and medical supplies to K6.4 Billion in 2026, improved procurement efficiency and improved supply chain management,” Mr. Mweetwa said.
