Balochistan Reports 247 Suspected Cholera Cases in a Week, 83% of Pakistan's Total

Short answer: Balochistan reported 247 suspected cholera cases in week 38 of 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) says. That is 83 per cent of the 298 cases reported in all of Pakistan, and up from 216 the week before. Killa Abdullah, Pishin and Chaman lead. Treat watery diarrhoea with fluids at once.

The NIH uploaded the bulletin on Friday 9 October 2026. We read the week 38 and week 37 tables ourselves. The label in the bulletin is "AWD (S. Cholera)", which means acute watery diarrhoea with suspected cholera. These are suspected cases, and the laboratory table shows almost none confirmed.

Balochistan holds 247 of Pakistan's 298 suspected cholera cases

Pakistan reported 298 suspected cholera cases in week 38, down slightly from 300. Balochistan alone reported 247, up from 216. Gilgit-Baltistan had 31, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 9, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 6 and Sindh 5. Punjab sent no figures.

The NIH collects the counts through its Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response system, called IDSR. Hospitals and clinics in 158 districts send weekly forms. Punjab is marked "NR", not reported, for every disease, so the national total is an undercount.

Killa Abdullah, Pishin and Chaman report the most

In Balochistan, Killa Abdullah reported 45 suspected cholera cases in week 38. Pishin had 42, Chaman 24, Kachhi (Bolan) 23 and Awaran 19. Sibi had 17, Ziarat 13 and Quetta 12. The district figures add up to exactly 247.

Three of the top four districts, Killa Abdullah, Pishin and Chaman, sit along the northern border belt close to Quetta. The bulletin does not explain the cluster, and we do not either. It does tell health teams where to look first.

Quetta, the biggest city, reported only 12 cholera cases but 586 cases of ordinary acute diarrhoea. A low cholera number in a big district may mean a patient was counted under the wider diarrhoea heading.

Very few cases are confirmed in a laboratory

The laboratory table shows no cholera tests from Balochistan in week 38. Sindh tested 11 samples for cholera and 1 was positive. Its stool culture tests found 1 positive in 163. So the Balochistan figure is a clinic count, and we cannot say how many were true cholera.

That is not a reason to relax. Suspected means a doctor saw watery diarrhoea that fitted the pattern, and treatment for dehydration is the same either way. But it is a reason to treat the number as a warning sign, not a confirmed outbreak. The NIH itself says field investigation is needed to verify alerts.

Balochistan's reporting rate was also the lowest of the filing provinces, at 71 per cent, so some facilities sent no form.

Balochistan's diarrhoea cases are rising while the national count falls

Balochistan reported 8,077 cases of ordinary acute diarrhoea in week 38, up from 7,010. Bloody diarrhoea rose from 1,192 to 1,487. Across Pakistan, ordinary diarrhoea fell from 119,045 to 112,030, which is still the most reported illness in the country.

The NIH lists acute diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea and typhoid among the diseases that increased in Balochistan this week. Typhoid reached 436 suspected cases, covered in the week 38 typhoid count. All three spread through dirty water and food.

Start fluids at the first loose watery stool

Cholera causes severe watery diarrhoea that can kill within hours if untreated, the World Health Organization says. Mild cases respond to oral rehydration solution, called ORS. Severe cases need a drip and antibiotics at hospital. Symptoms start 12 hours to 5 days after infection.

The WHO says fewer than 1 in 100 patients should die in a proper treatment centre. Speed is what matters. Follow the ORS steps in how to treat a child's diarrhoea at home and go to hospital if the signs below appear.

1. Mix ORS with clean boiled water exactly as the packet says and sip it often.
2. Keep feeding and drinking. Do not stop food or water.
3. Go to hospital the same day if stools are like rice water, vomiting is constant or the person cannot drink.
4. Go at once if there is a very dry mouth, sunken eyes, no urine for 8 hours or extreme sleepiness.
5. Boil drinking water for at least one minute if the supply is doubtful.
6. Wash hands with soap after the toilet and before touching food.

The WHO says safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene are the lasting protection. It also lists oral cholera vaccines, which adults take as two doses. We did not find any Balochistan vaccination campaign announced in the bulletin. If you need an ambulance, see verified emergency helpline numbers in Pakistan.

Common questions

How many cholera cases did Pakistan report in week 38?

The NIH counted 298 suspected cases in week 38 of 2026, down from 300. Balochistan reported 247 of them. Punjab did not report.

Is there a cholera outbreak in Balochistan?

The bulletin shows suspected cases and a rise from 216 to 247, but it does not declare an outbreak. The NIH says field investigation is needed to verify alerts.

What are the signs of cholera?

The WHO describes severe watery diarrhoea that can cause fatal dehydration within hours. Many people have only mild symptoms.

Can I treat watery diarrhoea at home?

Mild cases usually can be managed with ORS and fluids. Go to hospital if the person cannot drink, vomits constantly or shows signs of dehydration.

Is there a cholera vaccine in Pakistan?

The WHO lists oral cholera vaccines, two doses for adults. We did not verify whether one is on offer in Balochistan now, so ask your district health office.

What week does week 38 cover?

The bulletin prints no dates. On the standard week calendar, week 38 of 2026 runs from 14 to 20 September.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 11 October 2026. We read the NIH's Public Health Bulletin, Pakistan, Week 38, 2026 and the Week 37 bulletin, both listed on the NIH's IDSR weekly reports page. Province figures are from Table 1, Balochistan districts from Table 3 and laboratory results from Table 5. Cholera facts are from the WHO cholera fact sheet. The week dates are our own calculation.