Chikungunya, dengue fever cases recorded in West Darfur

The Doctors' Committee in West Darfur has reported nine cases of chikungunya fever and two cases of dengue fever in the state capital El Geneina.

In a statement on Thursday, the committee said that the National Laboratory in Khartoum analysed samples of patients and confirmed the fevers.

The doctors said that there are no adequate isolation wards in West Darfur, ready to receive the highly contagious diseases. “The El Geneina Teaching Hospital is not equipped at all to deal with patients with both types of fever.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan reported in its Sudan Situation Report on Thursday that 535 dengue fever cases, including two deaths, were recorded in eastern Sudan and Darfur between 8 August and 22 October. 499 of the cases were recorded in Kassala.

The spread of chikungunya seems to be much less. 31 cases have been reported, all in Darfur.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease and stagnant waters are a breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The rise in dengue fever in Sudan coincides with the recent rains and floods, and consequent large areas of stagnant waters. Chikungunya virus is spread by mosquitoes as well.

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