Cholera case-fatality rate in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo: Cholera case-fatality rate was 1.7% in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
1.7%
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
21st
of 114 countries
All-time high
33.6%
in 1981
All-time low
0.0%
in 2005
Years of data
44
1978–2021

Cholera case-fatality rate in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1978–2021

01020301978199920211978: 5.3 %1979: 9.3 %1980: 7.7 %1981: 33.6 %1982: 6.7 %1983: 8.2 %1984: 1.9 %1985: 4 %1986: 11.8 %1987: 19 %1988: 10.8 %1989: 6.1 %1990: 13 %1991: 7.2 %1992: 3 %1993: 17.8 %1994: 7.2 %1995: 4 %1996: 8.1 %1997: 13.5 %1998: 8.4 %1999: 6.2 %2000: 6.3 %2001: 6.8 %2002: 6.2 %2003: 3.6 %2004: 3 %2005: 0 %2006: 2.1 %2007: 2.1 %2008: 1.8 %2009: 1 %2010: 1.3 %2011: 2.7 %2012: 2.4 %2013: 1.8 %2014: 1.7 %2015: 1.4 %2016: 2.7 %2017: 2.1 %2018: 3.2 %2019: 1.7 %2020: 1.8 %2021: 1.7 %

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026); World Health Organization (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for cholera case-fatality rate in Democratic Republic of Congo is 1.7%, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 35.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, cholera case-fatality rate in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 33.6% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2005.

That places Democratic Republic of Congo 21st out of 114 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 7.3% 5.3% 9.3% 2
1980s 11.0% 1.9% 33.6% 10
1990s 8.8% 3.0% 17.8% 10
2000s 3.3% 0.0% 6.8% 10
2010s 2.1% 1.3% 3.2% 10
2020s 1.8% 1.7% 1.8% 2

Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo

  1. 18 Malaysia 2.5% compare
  2. 19 Zambia 2.0% compare
  3. 20 Benin 1.8% compare
  4. 22 Laos 1.7% compare
  5. 23 Angola 1.6% compare
  6. 24 Bolivia 1.5% compare

See the full ranking of 114 places →

More health data for Democratic Republic of Congo

All data for Democratic Republic of Congo →

Frequently asked questions

What is cholera case-fatality rate in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Cholera case-fatality rate in Democratic Republic of Congo was 1.7% in 2021, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026); World Health Organization (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest cholera case-fatality rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The highest recorded value was 33.6% in 1981.
What is the lowest cholera case-fatality rate recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2005.
How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for cholera case-fatality rate?
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 21st out of 114 countries with data for 2021.
Is cholera case-fatality rate rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Over the last ten years it is down 35.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026); World Health Organization (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cholera case-fatality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Cholera case-fatality rate
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026); World Health Organization (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
114 places, 2,413 data points, 1949–2021
Last refreshed

WHO calculates case fatality rates based on the numbers of cases and deaths as reported by national authorities. The case fatality rate is the number of reported deaths, divided by the number of reported cases, shown as a percentage.