In March 2025, four cases of cholera were reported in the UK, but it must be pointed out that it is not an outbreak, there is no risk of harm that you will contract it in the UK, and the risks of contracting cholera are very low.
These odds lower to close to zero for anyone who takes the vaccine for cholera, which is available at your local travel health clinic alongside advice for whether you might need it if you are travelling.
To understand how low the risk of contracting cholera is, it is important to explore the four cases in the UK, three similar cases in Germany, what caused them, and when vaccination might be necessary.
Why Was Cholera Reported In The United Kingdom?
The infectious disease cholera is very rare, has never been found natively in the United Kingdom since 1893 and the only cases that have been seen since are from people returning from countries that have reported ongoing outbreaks.
This was not the case with the four cases in the UK; three of them travelled to the region of Amhara in northern Ethiopia, whilst a fourth did not travel but was familiar with the other three.
One of them visited the well at Bermel Giorgis, a place of religious importance, where they collected holy water from the well. They did not have any cholera symptoms during their journey nor when they returned to the UK.
However, when they were back home, all three of them, as well as a fourth person, consumed the holy water and within days experienced symptoms consistent with cholera, including stomach pains, dehydration, sickness and diarrhoea.
Three similar cases were reported in Germany, suggesting that the well itself had been contaminated.
How Likely Are You To Catch Cholera?
It is important to note that despite an ongoing outbreak in Ethiopia, it was not until the seven people affected drank contaminated water back home that they contracted cholera, emphasising that at no point during their trip were they infected.
This illustrates that the chances most travellers have of contracting cholera are very low indeed. It is estimated that fewer than three in a million travellers will contract the disease, according to information from TravelHealthPro.
Many people will be asymptomatic, and even those with serious complications such as shock caused by dehydration will recover 99 per cent of the time with quick rehydration treatment.
The risks are increased by drinking untreated water, as the seven cases above did, eating food that is not adequately cooked, eating seafood or salads that have come into contact with contaminated water, or living in unsanitary conditions in areas affected by an outbreak.
Most travellers who are careful about food and water hygiene are unlikely to contract cholera when travelling.
When Do You Need The Cholera Vaccination?
A cholera vaccine was first developed in the latter part of the 19th century, and since the 1990s the gold standard has been oral cholera vaccines provided as two drinkable doses provided at least a week apart, with the final dose completed a week before travelling.
It is very rare that it will be recommended, and typically only applies to three main groups of travellers following a risk assessment.
The first group are humanitarian workers who as part of their work to deliver aid will be in close contact with people, water and communities in areas affected by or likely to be affected by a cholera outbreak.
This can be the case following natural disasters, a link that is explained by the Red Cross.
Outside of aid workers, the other major group of travellers that may require cholera vaccination are those travelling to an area where an outbreak is happening or has recently occurred, but have limited or no access to clean water or medical care.
Cholera can be easily treated in the overwhelming majority of cases, so the biggest risks are for people who are unlikely to have access to first aid kits with oral rehydration solutions. The vaccine provides additional protection and preventative care.
Finally, travellers who are believed to be at a higher risk of contracting cholera due to underlying health issues, planned activities or jobs might be recommended the cholera vaccination.
This would also be the case if they were planning to stay in a cholera risk area for a considerable length of time away from close access to medical facilities.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask us today regarding your journey and which precautions you should take before you travel