Cholera epidemic deepens in Darfur and eastern Chad

Darfur and eastern Chad are witnessing an alarming rise in cholera cases, with a sharp rise in the number of deaths and infections, especially within camps for internally displaced people and refugees. Reports released today indicate that the health situation is getting worse in light of the lack of resources and increasing challenges.

11 deaths in South Darfur in two days

The Ministry of Health in South Darfur State reported the registration of 192 new cases of cholera, including 11 deaths on Saturday and Sunday.

The daily epidemiological report of cholera cases issued by the General Directorate of Health Emergencies and Epidemic Control at the Ministry of Health indicated that the cumulative number of cases and deaths has risen to 2,392 cases, including 138 deaths, since the first case was recorded on May 27, 2025.

Today’s cases were recorded in Nyala, Kalma camp, and Belil, in addition to cases from the localities of El Salam, Merchang, Kas, and East Jebel Marra.

Cholera worsens in camps for displaced

Cholera outbreaks in Darfur, particularly in the Tawila camps, Jebel Marra, Nyala, Zalingei, and the Khazan Jadid area in Shairia locality, are witnessing a continuous rise in the number of daily cases recorded in displacement centres.

Adam Rijal, the official spokesman for the Coordination of Displacement and Refugees, said in his report that the spread of the disease has reached unprecedented rates. Despite the scarcity of medical supplies and quarantine centres, humanitarian organisations, volunteers, emergency rooms and local authorities are making great efforts to combat the disease. He stressed that the challenges are still great due to the increasing infection rates, which threatens people’s lives and represents a humanitarian catastrophe. He called on the World Health Organization (WHO) and the relevant institutions to take urgent and effective measures to address this health and humanitarian crisis in the areas of displacement.

Regarding the daily statistics, Adam Rijal revealed that the cases are concentrated in the Tawila area in the camps, while the rest of the cases are in the Martal area, south of Tawila and the Tabra area. The cumulative number of cases since the outbreak has reached 4,377 cases, including 73 deaths. There are currently 113 cases in the isolation center, with 75 new cases recorded today.

The epidemic also spread in the areas of Tabra, Rubia, Golo in Jebel Marra, Jaldo, Nierteti, Rukiro, Deira, Dreibat, and east of Jebel Marra, in addition to the area of Fina, and the Sortoni camp in North Darfur.

Adam Men also confirmed cases in the Kalima, Attash and Dreij camps, as well as in the peace camp in South Darfur.

In Eastern and Central Darfur, cases continued to persist in the Sha’iriyah locality (New Reservoir). Casualties were also recorded in Zalingei and its camps: Hamidiya, Hasahisa, Five Minutes, Azum west of Zalingei, Zalingei, Kombo Ware Agricultural East of Zalingei, and Orkom south of Zalingei.

Cholera kills at camps in eastern Chad

Medical sources revealed to Radio Dabanga that the number of deaths in Sudanese refugee camps in eastern Chad exceeded 12 cases, while the injuries reached more than 40 cases.

Trigen camp recorded more than 5 deaths and more than 30 injuries, followed by Bregen camp 3 deaths and a number of injuries, Alacha camp 2 deaths and a number of injuries, and Farshna camp 2 deaths and4 injuries, including 2 cases in the isolation center.

Refugees complain that the authorities have only raised awareness against the disease and have not taken strict health measures to contain the epidemic.

Witnesses in the new Dokki camp in eastern Chad said dozens of Sudanese refugee families remain homeless, forced to stay in schools and public facilities, exacerbating the spread of cholera. The authorities have only stopped the flights of new refugees due to the unavailability of tents and the difficulty of setting them up in the autumn. The rains that fell yesterday and the first of yesterday also led to the collapse of a large number of tents in the camps of Farshna (El Jadid) and Ibtanqi, and the material losses have not yet been counted.

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric expressed deep concern over the continued rapid spread of cholera across Sudan, particularly in Darfur. The cumulative daily number of cases since the outbreak has reached 4,148, including 73 deaths. Some 110 people are receiving treatment in isolation centres, with 74 new cases recorded yesterday, Thursday.

In his daily press conference on Thursday, Dujarric said that UN health partners recorded 40 cholera-related deaths in the region last week alone.

He added that partners have provided treatment to more than 2,300 patients in facilities run by the Ministry of Health, adding that in Tawila locality, the cholera treatment centre is overcrowded. He noted that Tawila hosts hundreds of thousands of people fleeing violence in and around El Fasher.