Sudan confirms cholera outbreak; over 300 deaths

MENA

Published: 2024-08-17 20:52

Last Updated: 2024-08-17 21:00


Sudan confirms cholera outbreak; over 300 deaths (Photo: AFP)
Sudan confirms cholera outbreak; over 300 deaths (Photo: AFP)

The Sudanese Ministry of Health officially confirmed the return of cholera to Sudan, with over 300 deaths attributed to the disease.

Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim announced that laboratory tests have verified that the waterborne diarrhea cases are indeed cholera, marking the onset of a cholera epidemic in the country.

Dr. Margaret Harris from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the exacerbating effects of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan on disease outbreaks.

She reported on Friday that the ongoing crisis has intensified the spread of cholera, with current figures indicating 316 deaths and 11,327 reported cases.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been mired in war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, generally referred to as Hemedti.

The war severely strained the country’s healthcare system and contributed to the worsening of the cholera outbreak.