Cholera kills 40 in West Kordofan as measles spreads in East Darfur

Health authorities in West Kordofan say a growing cholera outbreak has killed 40 people and infected 228 others, while emergency teams in East Darfur have warned of rising suspected measles cases in a refugee camp hosting South Sudanese refugees.

Speaking on Monday, Alaa Nugud, spokesperson for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces-aligned Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasees), said En Nahud locality remains the hardest hit, recording 215 cases. El Fula recorded five cases, Wad Banda four cases, while Dibebad in South Kordofan and Ghubeish each recorded two.

He said rapid tests confirmed six new cholera infections, including two at the El Fula isolation centre.

People aged between 26 and 45 account for most infections, while isolation centres in El Fula and En Nahud continue treating patients.

Alaa Nugud said health authorities and aid groups were working to contain the 

outbreak by supplying medicines, intravenous fluids and chlorinating water sources.

He praised support from Médecins Sans Frontières, the Red Cross, Solidarity and the Humanitarian Aid Commission, and urged residents to boil water and report suspected cases quickly.

Meanwhile, emergency rooms in Abu Jabra locality in East Darfur reported 26 suspected measles cases and six deaths in the Jogan area refugee camp.

Hussein Ahmed Bashir told Radio Dabanga that emergency teams had isolated infected people to limit the spread of the disease.

He said recent measles outbreaks were also reported in El Firdous and Habila before vaccination campaigns helped reduce infections.

Bashir appealed to humanitarian organisations and authorities to urgently provide medical support and supplies to the areas in East Darfur.