Cholera outbreak stabilizes in Sudan’s Juba, may move north
Mar 15, 2006 (KHARTOUM) — The outbreak of cholera in the cities of Juba and Yei in Southern Sudan has stabilized however there is fear that the epidemic will spread as well as move north, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society said.
Two factors will increase the risk that the epidemic will spread – the onset of the rainy season and an increase in the flow of people returning to their homes as a result of the year-old peace agreement.
“It is low intensity but spreading,” said Dr. Joachim Kreysler, an epidemiologist and delegate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, who has just returned from a visit to the south.
There is now cholera in four of the southern states he said, and it appears to be moving north along the Nile River.
Cases have been recorded in Malakal in Upper Nile province and there’s a risk of an outbreak further north, where large groups of people are living under poor sanitation conditions for long stretches of time, Dr. Kreysler said.
Almost 6,000 cases have been reported since mid-February in Southern Sudan, with about 130 deaths, although precise figures are hard to collect and verify, Dr. Kreysler noted. The numbers are likely higher.
In Yei, the situation stabilized in mid-February and in Juba the incidence of new cases started to decline at the end of February but cases are now being reported in Terekeka county north of Juba and Torit and Kapoeta to the east. Cases have also been reported in Bor and Pibor in Jonglei state. Bor is of particular concern because it is the target community for a returning population of some 20,000 people (and their cattle) of which 5,000 are now staying in the Lologo transit camp just outside of Juba.
Further west, Tonj and Wau are at risk because they are also heavily populated with returnees, noted Arthur Agany Poole, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society coordinator for southern Sudan.
Poole is also concerned that the rainy season could bring a resurgence of the disease in Juba. “Juba is heavily populated. You find 20 people in one house where five used to live. Sanitation, latrines, are just not there. With the rains there could be disaster in Juba.”
To counter the spread of the disease, the Sudanese Red Crescent are providing the affected areas with chlorine tablets to purify water, oral rehydration salts, and hand washing soap to improve hygiene.
The Sudanese Red Crescent (Society) has mobilized volunteers and stationed them at water collection points such as boreholes and wells to dispense chlorine tablets with each jerry can of water. The volunteers also visit homes to promote better hygiene by urging people to carefully wash food, baby bottles and utensils and thoroughly cook all food.
(ST)