KINSHASA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing its worst cholera outbreak in 25 years, with 64,427 cases, including 1,888 deaths, recorded since the start of 2025, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Monday.

UNICEF warned that the outbreak in the DRC, where children account for 14,818 cases and 340 deaths, has severely disrupted children's education and exposed families to heightened health risks.

"Congolese children should not be so gravely affected by what is a wholly preventable disease," said John Agbor, UNICEF representative in the DRC, calling for increased investments in water, sanitation, hygiene, and health services, particularly in long-identified cholera hotspots.

Seventeen of the country's 26 provinces have reported cases. While the proportion of child infections varies across regions, children represent an average of nearly a quarter of all cholera patients nationwide.

Between January and October, more than 13.5 million people were reached with UNICEF-supported information campaigns on cholera prevention and response.

"The funding pipeline for 2026 looks very fragile, and without additional resources and coordinated action, many more lives could be lost," Agbor added, with the UN children's agency estimating that it will need about 6 million U.S. dollars in 2026 to ensure proper financing.

Cholera, an acute diarrheal disease caused by ingesting contaminated food or water, can lead to severe dehydration and death within hours if untreated. ■