Dengue Fever Cases Rise in Six Sudanese States as Health Crisis Deepens

19 February 2026

A Sudanese girl receives an oral cholera vaccine during a campaign conducted by health ministry workers in Khartoum, Sudan. AP file photo

February 18, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced a rise in dengue fever cases across six states, alongside persistent infections of Hepatitis E in Gezira State, amid a critical shortage of epidemic-related medicines.

The surge comes as Sudan’s fragile health sector continues to buckle under the impact of the ongoing war. Conflict has devastated infrastructure, shuttered numerous hospitals, and triggered a severe shortage of medical personnel and supplies.

A report from the federal Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Centre noted that while no new cholera cases were recorded, dengue fever cases were confirmed in Khartoum, Gezira, River Nile, White Nile, Kassala, and Northern states.

Gezira State continues to report cases of Hepatitis E, the ministry added.

In response, an emergency team was dispatched from Northern State to the western region after 36 cases of dengue fever were recorded. Medical supplies were sent to the area, and specialized treatment centres for Hepatitis E were designated in Gezira.

Health officials emphasized an urgent need for staff training and additional medicine. Environmental health reports indicated that preventive activities, including water chlorination monitoring and vector control, are ongoing.

A targeted campaign to combat dengue fever is scheduled to launch in Khartoum localities next week.

The ministry’s supply report acknowledged disparities in the availability of emergency medicines and a significant shortage of malaria treatments.

However, the National Public Health Laboratory announced that the Khartoum laboratory is prepared for the meningitis season. State laboratories are also equipped to diagnose viral fevers following the distribution of 20,000 dengue rapid test kits.

Health Ministry Undersecretary Ali Babiker praised the resilience of health workers despite limited resources. He noted efforts to support services in South Kordofan and progress toward recovering the health system.

Babiker directed intensified interventions ahead of the autumn season and emphasized that restoring the National Laboratory to its full capacity remains a top priority.

In Northern State, health authorities reported an increase in dengue fever rates, with 52 cases recorded in the Al-Ghurayba area of Merowe locality as of Tuesday.

The state’s emergency department has activated an emergency room to monitor cases and implement “zero reporting.” Officials stated that only two cases remain active, and no deaths have been recorded so far.

Containment measures in Merowe include intensified domestic inspections, insect surveys, and urgent spraying campaigns to target mosquito larvae.