Cholera is Surging Around the World and Vaccine Supplies Are Running Low

There are a record number of cholera outbreaks around the world today. Consider this data point: in 2022 alone, 29 countries have reported a cholera outbreak. This compares to 20 countries over the previous five years. The outbreaks are distributed across several regions: countries in the Caribbean, Middle East, Africa, and Asia are experiencing cholera outbreaks — some for the first time in decades.

Amidst all these concurrent outbreaks, there is a global shortage of cholera vaccines to the point that public health officials are suspending the the standard two-dose vaccination regimen in favor of just a single dose.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Louise Ivers, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, and the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health about why there is a sudden surge in outbreaks worldwide, where the outbreaks are the worst, and what can be done about this vaccine shortage.

Transcript available here