Sudan Cholera Outbreak Worsens, Northern State Reports Suspected Cases

Patients suffering from cholera receive treatment at a rural isolation center in Wad Al-Hilu, in Kassala state, eastern Sudan, August. 17, 2024. (AFP photo)

September 5, 2024 (DONGOLA/KASSALA) – Sudan’s Northern State reported 36 suspected cholera cases, including four confirmed, in the Dongola locality, the state’s health ministry said on Thursday.

The announcement came as Sudan grapples with a widening cholera outbreak. The national death toll has reached 156, with 4,190 confirmed cases across four states, the federal health ministry said.

In Dongola, Governor Abdeen Awad Allah chaired an emergency meeting to discuss containment measures. Authorities have set up isolation centres and a field clinic, and the main market has been closed to curb the spread.

Nationally, 261 new cases and five deaths were reported on Thursday. Kassala state saw the highest number of new infections at 152, followed by River Nile state with 78.

River Nile state’s health authorities said the cumulative number of cases there had reached 810, with 34 deaths.

The outbreak has been exacerbated by recent flooding, which has damaged infrastructure and contaminated water sources. Health officials have called for increased isolation centres, stricter food safety measures, and improved sanitation in affected areas.