Number reported cases of cholera in Malawi
Malawi: Number reported cases of cholera was 554 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number reported cases of cholera in Malawi, 1973–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 554 for number reported cases of cholera in 2024.
That represents a change of down 98.3% on the previous year and down 20.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number reported cases of cholera in Malawi peaked at 32,618 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1995.
That places Malawi 25th out of 119 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number reported cases of cholera in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 371 | — |
| 1976 | 19 | -94.9% |
| 1977 | 577 | +2936.8% |
| 1978 | 263 | -54.4% |
| 1981 | 261 | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 487 | +86.6% |
| 1988 | 6 | -98.8% |
| 1989 | 8,351 | +139083.3% |
| 1990 | 13,457 | +61.1% |
| 1991 | 8,088 | -39.9% |
| 1992 | 298 | -96.3% |
| 1993 | 25,193 | +8354.0% |
| 1994 | 107 | -99.6% |
| 1995 | 1 | -99.1% |
| 1996 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 130 | +12900.0% |
| 1998 | 1,745 | +1242.3% |
| 1999 | 26,508 | +1419.1% |
| 2000 | 2,391 | -91.0% |
| 2001 | 2,395 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 32,618 | +1261.9% |
| 2003 | 2,736 | -91.6% |
| 2004 | 675 | -75.3% |
| 2005 | 1,105 | +63.7% |
| 2006 | 4,148 | +275.4% |
| 2007 | 475 | -88.5% |
| 2008 | 831 | +74.9% |
| 2009 | 5,751 | +592.1% |
| 2010 | 1,155 | -79.9% |
| 2011 | 120 | -89.6% |
| 2012 | 187 | +55.8% |
| 2015 | 693 | +270.6% |
| 2016 | 1,792 | +158.6% |
| 2017 | 344 | -80.8% |
| 2018 | 812 | +136.0% |
| 2019 | 23 | -97.2% |
| 2020 | 3 | -87.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 2022 | 17,488 | +874300.0% |
| 2023 | 32,530 | +86.0% |
| 2024 | 554 | -98.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 554 is above the median for low income countries, which is 377, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 554 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 207, 2.7× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number reported cases of cholera in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +874300.0% | 2 | 17,488 |
| 1989 | +139083.3% | 6 | 8,351 |
| 1997 | +12900.0% | 1 | 130 |
| 1993 | +8354.0% | 298 | 25,193 |
| 1977 | +2936.8% | 19 | 577 |
| 1999 | +1419.1% | 1,745 | 26,508 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 307.5 | 19 | 577 | 4 |
| 1980s | 2,276 | 6 | 8,351 | 4 |
| 1990s | 7,553 | 1 | 26,508 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,312 | 475 | 32,618 | 10 |
| 2010s | 640.75 | 23 | 1,792 | 8 |
| 2020s | 10,115 | 2 | 32,530 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 6,399 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0718 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number reported cases of cholera in Malawi?
- Number reported cases of cholera in Malawi was 554 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number reported cases of cholera recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 32,618 in 2002.
- What is the lowest number reported cases of cholera recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1995.
- How does Malawi rank for number reported cases of cholera?
- Malawi ranks 25th out of 119 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number reported cases of cholera rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Number reported cases of cholera. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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