LUSAKA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said on Wednesday that the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision has approved an additional 586,730 doses of oral cholera vaccine.

Minister of Health Alex Katakwe said preparations were underway to deploy vaccines in identified high-risk areas to reduce transmission and protect vulnerable communities.

"Further details regarding the targeted districts and implementation timelines for the vaccination campaign will be communicated once preparations are finalized," he said during a press briefing on the cholera situation.

Katakwe noted that this year, the ministry conducted oral cholera vaccination campaigns in hotspot areas in two districts of Lusaka, the country's capital, and Monze in southern Zambia, reaching a total of 189,920 eligible people.

The ministry carried out vaccination campaigns in nine districts in 2025, during which about 1.8 million people were vaccinated, he added.

Katakwe said that the government is working with its partners to implement a range of public health interventions to interrupt transmission, while reaffirming its commitment to containing the current outbreak through comprehensive response measures.

According to figures from the health ministry, Zambia has recorded a cumulative 1,267 cholera cases and 21 deaths since fresh cases emerged last August.

Zambia experienced its worst cholera outbreak between October 2023 and July 2024, recording more than 23,000 cases and over 700 deaths. ■