Sudan cholera cases surge past 19,000, death toll at 566

October 3, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – Sudan’s cholera outbreak continues to escalate, with the Ministry of Health reporting on Thursday that cases have surpassed 19,000, including 566 fatalities.

The outbreak began on August 12, following widespread flooding across Sudan. Stagnant water provides fertile breeding grounds for the disease, raising concerns of further spread.

The ministry’s Emergency Operations Center reported 190 new cholera cases and two deaths in three states: Kassala, River Nile, and Gedaref. This brings the nationwide total to 19,411 cases and 566 deaths across 64 localities in 11 states.

River Nile state has been particularly hard hit, with the state’s health ministry reporting a significant surge in cases, reaching 4,561 infections and 101 deaths. On Thursday alone, 37 new cases were recorded in River Nile state, where 69 patients remain in isolation centres, and 4,391 have recovered.

In a separate development, the ministry also reported 773 cases of dengue fever, including three deaths, across 11 localities in four states. Eighty new dengue infections were recorded on Wednesday in Khartoum and Kassala states.

The Sudanese health ministry confirmed ongoing efforts to combat the cholera outbreak, including treatment at isolation centres and federal-level interventions.