26 new suspected cholera cases in Jebel Marra, Central Darfur

Medical isolation units receiving people suffering from ‘acute watery diarrhoea’ reported 26 new cases in western Jebel Marra in Central Darfur yesterday.

New cases of what is suspected to be cholera appeared in the isolation wards in Nierteti, Kuweila, Korifal and Mara, a voluntary worker reported to Radio Dabanga.

The centre in Kuweila recorded eight new cases while the centre in Mara recorded seven cases. Nierteti Hospital received three new cases and Korifal’s isolation ward recorded two new cases on Monday.

The volunteer explained that the total number of cases held at these four centres in Nierteti and eastern Nierteti reached 88 patients by Monday. The four units held 77 patients on Saturday, people reported to Radio Dabanga during the weekend.

In the meantime the state Health Ministry has taken precautionary measures to combat the spread of the disease. Drinking water is being chlorinated and health teams are visiting the areas of concern in coordination with a number of local and international organisations.

According to cases reported to this station, the death toll in Nierteti this year amounts to 20 people. Eighteen people were reported to have died from acute watery diarrhoea in Nierteti in February, and two people in this month so far.

‘Acute watery diarrhoea’ is the term the Sudanese authorities and several international organisations use for the disease of which the spread turned into epidemic proportions last year. Doctors and epidemiologists at the time independently confirmed the cases of “diarrhoea” to be cholera.

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