Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim reported on Sunday that the outbreak has resulted in at least 22 deaths, with 354 confirmed cases of cholera detected across the conflict-ridden country. The cholera epidemic was officially declared on Saturday, attributed to contaminated drinking water and adverse weather conditions.
The decision to declare the epidemic was made in collaboration with officials from the eastern state of Kassala, United Nations agencies, and health experts after the public health laboratory confirmed the presence of the cholera virus.
Margaret Harris, a representative from the World Health Organization (WHO), stated during a media briefing on Friday that Sudan has recorded 11,327 cholera cases and 316 deaths so far, warning that the actual numbers are likely higher.
Cholera, a rapidly spreading and highly contagious infection, causes severe diarrhea leading to dehydration and can be fatal within hours if untreated, according to the WHO. The disease is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or water, with children under five being particularly vulnerable.
While cholera outbreaks are not new to Sudan, with a significant outbreak in 2017 causing at least 700 deaths and sickening around 22,000 people in less than two months, this recent outbreak adds to the mounting crises in the region.
Sudan has also been hit by devastating seasonal floods in recent weeks, which have exacerbated the already dire situation. Local authorities report that dozens of people have died, and vital infrastructure has been destroyed across 12 of Sudan's 18 provinces. The United Nations' migration agency estimates that around 118,000 people have been displaced due to the flooding.
Compounding these challenges is the ongoing civil war, which erupted in April last year when tensions between the Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group escalated into full-blown conflict across the country. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as "Hemedti"), have been locked in a power struggle, turning the nation into a battlefield.
The conflict has devastated the capital, Khartoum, and other urban areas, destroying civilian infrastructure and crippling an already fragile healthcare system. Many hospitals and medical facilities have been forced to shut down due to the lack of essential resources.
The war has also resulted in thousands of deaths, displaced over 10.7 million people, and driven many into starvation. Famine has already been confirmed in a large displaced persons camp in the northern Darfur region.
Despite the ongoing conflict, a new round of talks aimed at resolving the 16-month civil war began in Switzerland on Wednesday, although the Sudanese army was notably absent. The United States, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations are attempting to mediate a ceasefire between the Sudanese army and the RSF.
In response to mounting pressure from the U.S., Sudan's military-controlled sovereign council announced on Sunday that it will send a government delegation to Cairo to meet with U.S. officials as part of efforts to bring the military into the ongoing truce negotiations in Switzerland.
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