Minister of Health has announced that the country has recorded a cumulative total of 861 cholera cases and 16 deaths as of 3rd February, 2026.
Speaking at a media briefing, Dr. Elijah Muchima said that seven deaths occurred in health facilities, while nine were recorded in community settings.
Dr. Muchima noted that seven districts are currently experiencing active cholera transmission, and these include Mpulungu (second wave), Lusaka, Chilanga, Nakonde, Solwezi (second wave), Nkeyema, and Choma.
In the last 24 hours, 20 new cholera cases were reported from four districts, with 11 in Lusaka, Mpulungu 2, Nakonde 4, and Choma 3—with no deaths recorded.
Lusaka District alone has recorded a cumulative total of 170 cases and two deaths, with a case fatality rate of about 1.2 percent, confirming its role as the current driver of national transmission.
According to the Minister, Northern Province, particularly Mpulungu District, remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for about 70 percent of all reported cases, with 570 cases across five districts.
He explained that transmission in the region has been prolonged, marked by 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,” Dr. Muchima stated.
Dr. Muchima further explained that from November 2025, transmission shifted southwards and became more centralized, with outbreaks detected in Monze District and later in Lusaka Province, reflecting 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 stated.
He noted that the three cases recorded in Choma confirm a new outbreak, increasing the number of active outbreak districts to seven and making Choma the third affected area in Southern Province, nearly 70 days after the last case was reported in Monze.
Dr. Muchima added that Nakonde District, despite reporting few cases, has recorded a disproportionately high case fatality rate, pointing to late detection and community-level vulnerabilities.
As part of the response, he said the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with partners, has so far deployed and administered two doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) to at-risk populations in Chainda, to supplement other high-level interventions aimed at combating the outbreak.
He said dose one targeted 35,700 eligible people, of whom 35,396 , representing 99.1 percent were reached, stressing that 32,987 people or 93.2 percent of those who received the first dose have so far been reached with dose two.
To attain maximum protection, the Ministry is scheduled to administer dose three from 17th to 22nd February, 2026.
“We appeal to the people of Chainda community to complete the full course of cholera vaccination for maximum protective value,” Dr. Muchima urged.
