Sudan cholera death toll hits 388, cases surpass 12,000

September 22, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – The death toll from a cholera outbreak in Sudan has climbed to 388, with the total number of cases reaching 12,896, the health minister said on Sunday.

The epidemic began spreading in Sudan on August 12, following devastating floods and heavy rains that swept across vast areas. There are growing concerns that stagnant water could create a breeding ground for disease vectors.

“The total number of cholera cases has reached 12,896, including 388 deaths,” Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said in a press statement following an emergency meeting.

He said the meeting recommended launching a major month-long campaign to respond to the cholera epidemic, stressing the need to increase environmental health interventions, food control and water chlorination.

The Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Health said in a statement that 401 new cholera cases were recorded on Saturday in the states of Kassala, Gedaref, Northern, River Nile and Red Sea.

The statement said Kassala state recorded three deaths, while the Northern state recorded two deaths and River Nile state recorded one death related to cholera.

The cholera epidemic has spread across 54 localities in 10 out of 18 states.

The Emergency Operations Center added that the Ministry of Health has implemented interventions, including daily monitoring of 45 isolation centres in eight states, in addition to continued technical support to Kassala state and reviewing response teams there.

The directors of Health Emergency and Epidemic Control Management and the on-duty Health Care Director held a meeting with the Director of the Ministry of Health in Sennar state, which concluded with the formation of a joint chamber and the development of a plan to combat the epidemic in Sennar.

The Ministry of Health pledged to provide medicines and other necessities to Sennar state and coordinate with organizations working to combat the epidemic.