Dr. Fiona Braka, from the WHO regional office in Brazzaville, Congo, said eastern and southern Africa have been especially affected.
In the first four weeks of the year alone, 10 African countries reported more than 26,000 cases and 700 deaths, almost double the number reported last year during the same period.
Zambia and Zimbabwe have been the worst affected, but Mozambique, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Nigeria are also suffering from “active outbreaks”, with a high risk of further spread, Dr Brake said.
Preventable and treatable
“We will continue to see records broken as long as people do not have access to clean water and sanitation facilities… Cholera can be prevented and treated. No one, no longer, should die because of it.”
Increased flooding associated with climate change has contributed to the spread of cholera, a preventable waterborne disease. More cyclones and droughts have also reduced access to clean water, creating an ideal environment for cholera to thrive.
Despite the global shortage of oral cholera vaccines, WHO is supporting vaccination campaigns in Zambia, where more than 1.7 million people have been vaccinated. A campaign is also underway in Zimbabwe that hopes to provide protection to 2.3 million people.
WHO has also deployed more than 100 medical experts and sent emergency supplies to affected areas in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
More than 30 tonnes of emergency supplies have already been delivered to both countries, including cholera kits and rehydration salts, and more aid is on the way.
UN torture expert urges UK to stop extradition of Julian Assange to US
The independent expert on torture appointed by the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday urged the United Kingdom to halt the possible extradition of Julian Assange to the United States.
Alice Edwards has called on the British authorities to consider Julian Assange's appeal based on substantial fears that, if extradited, he would risk treatment amounting to torture or other forms of ill-treatment or punishment.
“Julian Assange suffers from a long-standing and recurrent depressive disorder. He is considered to be at risk of suicide,” the Special Rapporteur said in a statement.
He faces numerous charges in the United States, including under the Espionage Act of 1917 for the alleged illegal disclosure of diplomatic and other cables and documents through the investigative site he co-founded, WikiLeaks.
Lives in prison
“If he is extradited, he could be detained in prolonged isolation while awaiting trial, or as a prisoner. If he is convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in prison,” Ms Edwards said.
The independent expert questioned whether his extradition is compatible with the UK's international human rights obligations, taking into account the risks to his mental health from solitary confinement or the likelihood of a “disproportionate” sentence.
“The diplomatic assurances of humane treatment provided by the United States Government are not a sufficient guarantee to protect Mr. Assange against such a risk,” he added, calling on the United Kingdom to carefully review the extradition order.
A final internal appeal following a lengthy legal battle over Assange's extradition is due to take place at the High Court in London on February 20 and 21.
Rapporteurs and other rights experts are independent of any government or organization, receive no salary, and act in their own capacity.
Sudan: Food shortages to worsen as desert locust threat increases
UN aid workers warn that food will become even more scarce in the coming months as Sudan enters the lean season, the UN spokesman told reporters on Tuesday.
“It is estimated that 18 million people are food insecure, that is, 10 million more than last year,” said Stéphane Dujarric.
This comes after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) earlier warned in Geneva that damage caused by desert locusts in the country has worsened significantly since the middle of last year.
Existential threat to seed supply
FAO Deputy Representative in Sudan Adam Yao warned that the pest problem had reached a “threatening level” and that without sustained efforts to control the invasion, significant agricultural losses are inevitable.
Locust swarms in the Nugal region of Somalia.
This is partly due to the absence of surveillance and control operations in central and western Sudan as a result of the ongoing war between government forces and the rival RSF militia that has plunged the country into a crisis.
However, locust control officials, supported by FAO, have managed to inspect more than 113,500 hectares and control around 23,000 hectares of land already infested.
Mr Yao said FAO was working together with the UN humanitarian coordination office, OCHA, to ensure immediate access to Wad Madani and ensure that threatened seed collections can be moved to a safer location.
Aid agencies have managed to provide life-saving assistance to seven million people in Sudan since last April.
