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Zambia has recorded 1,622 cholera cases, including 228 laboratory-confirmed infections, and 30 deaths since July 28, 2026, Minister of Health Professor, Roma Chilengi has told Parliament.
Presenting a ministerial statement on the cholera situation to the National Assembly on Thursday, Chilengi said 1,488 patients had recovered and been discharged, while 104 remained admitted.
He said 74 new cases were reported in the latest 24-hour reporting period across 12 districts, with no new deaths recorded.
The outbreak has affected 20 districts in six provinces, with Lusaka Province recording the highest number of cases at 1,090, followed by Central Province with 298, Luapula with 133, Northern with 88, Southern with 11 and Copperbelt with two.
Mumbwa and Chisamba were the latest districts to report cases, recording one and two infections, respectively.
Chilengi said the spread of the outbreak to the two districts underscored the need for vigilance and preparedness across the country.
“Of the 30 deaths recorded, 16 occurred in communities before the patients could reach a health facility, while 14 occurred in health facilities,” he said.
He extended Government’s condolences to the bereaved families, saying the deaths highlighted the importance of recognising symptoms early, starting rehydration immediately and accessing treatment without delay.
“Government is responding through a whole-of-Government effort and has convened the National Epidemic Preparedness, Prevention, Control and Management Committee (NEPPC&MC) to strengthen multisectoral coordination,” Chilengi said.
Read More: Govt declares cholera outbreak in Zambia after 304 cases, 11 deaths
He added that the Ministry of Finance and National Planning had released K13 million to the ministry responsible for water development and sanitation to support the emergency supply of safe water.
Chilengi said access to safe water was central to interrupting cholera transmission and described the funding as a demonstration of Government’s commitment to addressing conditions that allow the disease to spread.
“The responsible institutions must ensure that this support translates promptly into safe water reaching affected and high-risk communities, with appropriate accountability for the resources deployed,” he said.
He informed that public health teams were strengthening surveillance, case detection and investigation, laboratory confirmation, treatment and community-level prevention in collaboration with provincial and district offices, cooperating partners, community leaders and volunteers.
On vaccination, Chilengi said the International Coordinating Group had approved 782,147 doses of oral cholera vaccine, of which 709,018 eligible people aged one year and above had been vaccinated.
He said the reported coverage represented 91 percent of the target population.
Of those vaccinated, 555,472 people were reached in 10 wards of Lusaka District, 134,699 in four affected wards of Chibombo District and 18,847 in one affected ward of Chongwe District.
Vaccination activities were continuing in Lusaka Central and parts of Munali Constituency, he said.
Chilengi appealed to Members of Parliament to support community mobilisation and reinforce prevention messages, including drinking water from safe sources, boiling or treating water where its safety was uncertain, washing hands with soap, using proper sanitation facilities, avoiding open defecation and observing food hygiene.
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