Sudan declares cholera epidemic after 22 deaths

Sudan faces a new challenge in the midst of a 16-month conflict between the military and a paramilitary group as health authorities declared a cholera epidemic.

Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said 22 people have died and 354 cases of the disease have been confirmed across the country in recent weeks.

The World Health Organization said recently that 78 deaths from cholera were recorded in Sudan between 1 January and 28 July this year.

Cholera is a highly contagious infection transmitted through ingesting contaminated food or water and can kill within hours without treatment.

Seasonal floods in recent weeks have exacerbated the situation with critical infrastructure washed away in 12 of Sudan’s 18 provinces, making access to clean water difficult for many.

Ibrahim said outbreak was “because of the weather conditions and because drinking water has been contaminated”.

The conflict in Sudan has further battered what was an already weak healthcare system, displaced more than 10 million people, and pushed many into starvation.

The WHO on Friday said cases of dengue fever and meningitis infections were also on the rise.

A new round of talks aimed at ending the conflict in Sudan began in Switzerland last Wednesday, despite the army’s absence.