Sudan records nearly 600 cholera cases since July, health minister says

KHARTOUM, Sudan

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has exacerbated cholera infections with the war-stricken country recording almost 600 cases since July.

Sudanese Health Minister Haitham Mohammed Ibrahim said on Wednesday (August 21) that the country has recorded 593 cases and 28 deaths since announcing the epidemic in July 23.

WHO and UNICEF have cooperated with the Sudanese health ministry to spray chlorine and open treatment and isolation centers in locations that are heavily affected by the disease, he added.

Al-Qadarif health official Mohammed Dawoud said that the influx of people due to the ongoing war is straining the city’s resources, aiding in the spread of diseases.

Contagious diseases, including cholera and conjunctivitis, are spreading rapidly in Sudan due to the prolonged conflict that has severely impacted the country’s health sector, compounded by annual heavy rains and floods.

The country is also suffering the world’s largest hunger crisis with 25.6 million people in acute hunger and a healthcare system in disarray due to the lack of access to aid in many of the country’s provinces.