Health Minister Dr. Elijah Muchima says the country is responding to a cholera outbreak first detected on 5 August 2025 in Mpulungu District of Northern Province.
Dr. Muchima said since then, 20 districts across eight provinces have reported cases. Luapula and Eastern Provinces have remained free of confirmed cholera cases throughout this period.
The Minister who said this during a press briefing at Ndeke House noted that as of 3 February 2026, the country has recorded a cumulative total of 861 cholera cases and 16 deaths. Seven deaths occurred in health facilities and nine in community settings, underscoring the continued importance of early symptom recognition and prompt care seeking.
Dr. Muchima added that the cholera outbreak has evolved over time and across geography. Northern Province, particularly Mpulungu District, remains the epicentre, accounting for about 70% of all reported cases, with 570 cases across five districts.
Transmission in this region has been prolonged, with periods of decline followed by resurgences, including a second wave in Mpulungu.
He said 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 centralised, with outbreaks detected in Monze District and later in Lusaka Province.
The Health Minister said this reflects the 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.
He said currently, 7 districts continue to experience active cholera transmission.
These are Mpulungu (second wave), Lusaka, Chilanga, Nakonde, Solwezi (second wave), Nkeyema and Choma. In the last 24 hours, twenty (20) new cholera cases were reported from four districts: Lusaka (11), Mpulungu (2), Nakonde (4), and Choma (3), with no deaths recorded in the last 24 hours. The three cases in Choma confirm a new outbreak, increasing the number of active outbreak districts to seven (7) and making Choma the third affected district in Southern Province, nearly 70 days after the last case was reported in Monze.
Dr. Muchima further revealed that Lusaka district alone has recorded 170 cases and two deaths, with a case fatality rate of about 1,2 %, confirming its role as the current driver of national transmission. Nakonde district, despite reporting few cases, has recorded a disproportionately high case fatality rate, pointing to late detection and community-level vulnerabilities.
These are being addressed through intensified surveillance, community engagement, and support to frontline health workers.
He mentioned that as part of the response, the Ministry of Health with its partners has so far deployed and administered 2 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) to the at risky population living in Chainda to supplement other high-level interventions to combat the outbreak. Dose 1 targeted 35,700 eligible population of which 35,396 (99.1%) were reached. Out of the 35,396 population that received first dose, so far 32,987 (93.2%) were reached with dose 2.
By Naomi Bowa
Picture Credit Wezzy Simbeye.
Communications and Public Relations Unit – Ministry of Health.
