Ethiopian holy water implicated in European cholera cases, study reveals

GERMANY – A multidrug-resistant strain of cholera has made its way from Eastern Africa to Europe—this time, not through food or water systems, but through religious tradition.

According to a study published in Eurosurveillance, contaminated holy water from Ethiopia has been linked to recent cholera infections in Germany and the United Kingdom.

The source of the outbreak traces back to the Bermel Giorgis holy well in Ethiopia’s Quara district. The site, popular among pilgrims seeking physical and spiritual healing, has become a point of concern after water taken from it was found to be contaminated with Vibrio cholerae O1—a strain responsible for cholera outbreaks across Eastern and Middle Africa.

Ethiopia has been grappling with a cholera outbreak since 2022. By 9 February 2025, over 58,000 cases and 726 deaths had been reported.

A flare-up in early February, particularly in the Amhara region, saw 163 new cases and three deaths. Pilgrims often consume water directly from the holy well or take it back home in small bottles, inadvertently transporting the pathogen across borders.

In Germany, three cases were reported in late February through the European infectious disease portal EpiPulse. All patients were of Ethiopian descent.

Two had traveled to Ethiopia earlier in the year and brought back bottles of the holy water, which they later consumed.

The third individual did not drink the water but had it splashed on their face and possibly ingested some. All three developed diarrhea and vomiting; one required intensive care, though all eventually recovered.

Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed four cases of cholera linked to the same source. Two individuals had recently traveled to Amhara, with one specifically reporting a pilgrimage to Bermel Giorgis.

Another patient who had not traveled contracted cholera after drinking the imported holy water. A fourth person also fell ill after consumption. Three were hospitalized, and one required intensive care.

Bacterial genome sequencing revealed that the cholera strains found in both Germany and the UK closely match those from ongoing outbreaks in Kenya and other regions of sub-Saharan Africa.

While the link between holy water and cholera is not new in Ethiopia, this cross-border spread of infection is an uncommon event.

The Ethiopian National Guideline for Cholera Surveillance and Outbreak Response has flagged this risk, prompting occasional preventive actions during high-traffic religious holidays.

Experts stress that stronger global cooperation and sustained investment in WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) infrastructure are crucial to halting such outbreaks.

“Low-income countries will continue to require international support to roll out effective prevention strategies, from sanitation to diagnostics,” the study concludes.