Cholera: Sudanese public urged to take measures as deaths rise

Health ministries in Sudan states are calling on the public to take measures to curtail the spread of cholera, and the proliferation of mosquito vectors for dengue, as the seasonal outbreak of disease takes hold. The medical response across the country is dramatically curtailed by the ongoing war.

The Ministry of Health in Sudan’s Red Sea state has recorded 249 suspected cases of cholera, including 186 confirmed cases, including five deaths. The ministry demanded in a statement the need to provide immediate chlorination of local water supplies in Sudan.

The El Gezira state health ministry announced the registration of 1,060 suspected cases of cholera, including 21 deaths during the period from October 9 to November 24. The ministry appealed to the public to empty, wash, and dry all water tanks and containers, and leave them exposed to the sun for three days, and also to prevent standing water against the proliferation of mosquitoes, the main vectors for dengue fever and malaria.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, 2.2 million cholera and 7.5 million measles-rubella vaccines were airlifted to Port Sudan for distribution two weeks ago to combat disease outbreaks across Sudan.

Outbreak

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says 3.1 million people in Sudan are at risk of cholera in eight states between July and December 2023.

In a report on Tuesday, OCHA confirmed that Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in El Gedaref on September 26. As of November 9, at least 2,525 suspected cases of cholera, including 78 associated deaths, have been reported in 27 localities in six states – El Gedaref, South Kordofan, Kassala, Khartoum, El Gezira, and Sennar, OCHA says.