Sudan cholera outbreak spreads to 10 states, death toll at 473

September 25, 2024 (KASSALA) – A cholera outbreak in Sudan has spread to 10 out of 18 states, infecting nearly 15,000 people and killing 473, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

The outbreak began on August 12 following heavy rains and floods, which raised concerns that stagnant water could breed disease.

The ministry’s emergency operations centre said 386 new cases were recorded, including 141 in Kassala, 94 in Gedaref and 83 in Gezira state.

The epidemic has spread to 55 localities in 10 states, with a total of 14,944 cases, including 473 deaths. Heavy rains and floods have affected 907 areas in 54 localities across 11 states.

Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim met on Wednesday with the World Health Organization and the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF to discuss coordinating efforts to combat the outbreak and support affected states.

In River Nile state, 126 new cases were recorded, bringing the total in the state to 3,937, including 93 deaths.

The Supreme Committee for Emergency and Crisis Management in Khartoum state has raised its level of preparedness in anticipation of a potential outbreak, although no cases have yet been recorded.

Sudan’s health system, with 80% of facilities out of service in active conflict zones and 45% in other areas, is facing multiple disease outbreaks, including cholera and dengue fever, in addition to treating those wounded in the war.