Sudan Experiences Deadly Cholera Outbreak, Causing Over 40 Deaths According to MSF
Cholera Outbreak Ravages Sudan's Darfur Region
The Darfur region of Sudan is currently grappling with a year-long cholera outbreak, which has claimed at least 40 lives and affected thousands. The crisis is particularly severe in North Darfur's Tawila locality, where heavy rains have exacerbated the situation by contaminating water sources and damaging sewage systems.
The outbreak is primarily caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation conditions, made worse by ongoing conflict, displacement, and inadequate access to clean water and healthcare infrastructure. In Tawila, over 380,000 people have fled due to fighting around El-Fasher, according to the United Nations.
In these displacement camps, families often have no choice but to drink from contaminated sources, contributing to the spread of cholera. The disease, an acute intestinal infection, spreads through food and water contaminated with fecal bacteria. Cholera can be treated with simple oral rehydration and antibiotics for more severe cases, but the ongoing conflict and collapsed health services have limited public health responses, reducing early detection and treatment options.
The situation is "beyond urgent," according to MSF's head of mission in Sudan. As of August 2022, thousands of cases and over 80 deaths have been reported in Darfur, with hundreds of children affected. Efforts are focused on improving access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and public hygiene education to contain the outbreak.
The fighting in Darfur has again focused on El-Fasher, the last major city in the western region under the army's control. In Tawila, a body was found in a well inside one of the camps, and within two days, people were forced to drink from that same water again. The cholera outbreak is now spreading beyond displacement camps, into multiple localities across Darfur states and beyond, posing a significant threat to neighboring countries like Chad and South Sudan.
The global increase in cholera cases since 2021 is a cause for concern, and the ongoing crisis in Sudan underscores the urgency for improved water and sanitation infrastructure, healthcare services, and conflict resolution in the region.
[1] MSF. (2022, August). Sudan: Cholera outbreak in Darfur continues to spread. Retrieved from https://www.msf.org/sudan/sudan-cholera-outbreak-in-darfur-continues-to-spread
[2] UN OCHA. (2022, August). Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletin – Issue 18. Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-bulletin-issue-18
[3] Al Jazeera. (2022, August). Cholera outbreak spreads in Sudan's Darfur region amid heavy rains. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/8/cholera-outbreak-spreads-in-sudans-darfur-region-amid-heavy-rains
[4] The Guardian. (2022, August). Cholera outbreak in Sudan's Darfur region leaves hundreds dead. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/aug/08/cholera-outbreak-in-sudans-darfur-region-leaves-hundreds-dead
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