Dengue fever kills 186 in Khartoum North district – medics

October 25, 2024 (KHARTOUM BAHRI) – At least 186 people have died from an outbreak of dengue fever in the Samarab district of Khartoum North, medics said on Friday, as fighting between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group continues to rage.

According to the Samarab emergency room, around 500 cases of the mosquito-borne viral infection have been recorded in the district, which has been under RSF control since July.

“These epidemics pose a direct threat to public health and require urgent intervention,” a medical source told Reuters, adding that cholera was also spreading rapidly.

Residents of Samarab North have fled to neighbouring districts to escape clashes, leaving the area a ghost town.

The emergency room appealed to both sides of the conflict to allow safe passage for humanitarian and medical aid

“Access to medicines and medical supplies is a top priority to confront these epidemics and limit their spread,” the source said.