PRETORIA, December 8. /TASS/. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported the largest cholera outbreak on its territory in the past 25 years, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.

"The cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had a devastating impact tallying 64,427 total cases since the start of the year, including 1,888 deaths, with children accounting for 14,818 cases and 340 deaths making it the worst outbreak in 25 years in the country," the organization said in a statement.

Cases have been reported in 17 out of DRC’s 26 provinces, with the capital Kinshasa being one of the hotspots.

UNICEF reiterated that cholera is a "wholly preventable disease."

"UNICEF encourages our government partners to increase investments in water, sanitation, hygiene and health services, especially in established cholera hotspots, to better protect the health and well-being of Congolese families and children," said UNICEF DRC Representative John Agbor.

Cholera is a particularly dangerous infectious disease caused by vibrio cholerae. It occurs when the pathogen enters the body with contaminated food or water.