‘Significant decrease’ in cholera cases in Central Darfur

Central Darfur medics and volunteers are cautiously optimistic as fewer cases of diarrhoea, suspected to be cholera, were reported in the state over the last 24 hours.

One person died at a medical isolation centre in Nierteti and the medical centre also received one new infection case.

A voluntary work activist told Radio Dabanga there has been a significant decrease in the recorded number of cases of acute watery diarrhoea.

He explained that the total number of cases in the isolation centre reached eight until Wednesday.

He reported that following a visit by a medical team and a number of local and international organisations led by the undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Esameldin Abdallah, on Monday, a consignment of medicines arrived on Tuesday.

Four new cases were recorded at the isolation centre of Mara village, bringing the number of cases to 14 on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday the medical isolation centre at Korifal village in western Jebel Marra (Nierteti locality) received three new cases, bringing the number to 12 cases.

At Luwein village, nine new cases were recorded until Tuesday morning.

The number of cases held at the centre of Kuweila village has increased to 36 until Wednesday.

Ministry of Health

Undersecretary Abdallah said that his Ministry has put in place adequate measures to prevent the emergence of any case in Nierteti.

He explained in press statements after his visit to Nierteti that the spread of health teams in the villages and town of Central Darfur has contributed to the decrease of cases of the disease – without saying how many deaths and infections the ministry has monitored since the outbreak of the disease.

He said the Ministry of Health in Central Darfur had established isolation centres in Nierteti and in the areas at the highest peak of Jebel Marra.

According to the United Nations’ humanitarian office (OCHA) in January this year, a slight increase in acute watery diarrhoea cases was reported during the last week of 2017 and the first week of this year: 46 and 30 new cases respectively were registered.

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