The cholera surveillance system, which relies on mandatory reporting, makes it possible to detect cases as soon as they are suspected, track the epidemiology of the disease, and prevent its spread.

Cholera, a rare disease in France

Each year, there are 1.4 to 4.3 million cases of cholera and 28,000 to 142,000 deaths from the disease worldwide, according to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In France, 136 imported cases were identified between 1973 and 2009. Between 2010 and 2024, 32 cases were reported. During this period, no deaths were reported.

The origin of cases has changed over the decades: in the 1980s and through the late 1990s, nearly all (95%) patients were infected in the Maghreb. In the 2000s, imported cases originated primarily from West Africa and Asia; then, starting in the 2010s, mainly from Haiti and Asia.

Since 2021, there has been a global resurgence of cholera affecting all continents, though this has not led to a significant increase in imported cases in France.

In France, the risk of secondary transmission is very low, as the cholera vibrio is not highly transmissible when basic hygiene rules are followed. Appropriate water treatment and chlorination, along with basic sanitation and hygiene measures, are generally sufficient to prevent transmission. In healthcare settings, adherence to standard precautions typically applied when caring for a patient with diarrhea or vomiting is sufficient to avoid the risk of secondary transmission.

Nevertheless, in certain parts of French Guiana and Mayotte, the risks of spread are heightened due to living conditions, particularly the lack of sanitation. Finally, the precarious administrative status of certain groups of people can also hinder their access to care and the early detection of cases, thereby facilitating the spread of the disease.

Since the beginning of 2024, the Comoros Islands have been affected by an epidemic that could lead to imported cases on the island of Mayotte, with which there is significant travel and trade. This particular situation, combined with an exceptional drought in 2023, led to the implementation, as early as 2023, of enhanced surveillance of infectious diseases in Mayotte, along with multidisciplinary management measures by local health authorities.

NA = not available*
Data as of March 28,
2024** Indigenous and imported cases reported on the island of Mayotte in 2000
*** 3 cases linked to the consumption of products imported from endemic areas, 1 case of cryptic infection (where the source of contamination could not be formally identified)