Cholera epidemic ‘shows signs of easing’ in Darfur

Reports continue to reach Radio Dabanga of deaths and infections with cholera from across Sudan, however, however medical sources are ‘cautiously optimistic’ that fewer cases are beginning to be admitted in parts of Darfur.

This week has seen five displaced people die of cholera and 81 others infected at Kalma camp near Nyala in South Darfur on Monday and Tuesday.

Yagoub Abdallah Furi, the General Coordinator of displaced persons and refugee camps told Radio Dabanga from camp Kalma that the medical isolation centres of the American IRC and IMC organisations recorded two deaths of cholera and 32 new infection cases.

He explained that on Tuesday the two centres also recorded three deaths and 49 new cases.

Zalingei

On Tuesday the medical isolation centre at Zalingei Royal Hospital in Central Darfur recorded 16 new cases of cholera.

Yesterday El Shafee Abdallah, the Coordinator of displaced camps of Central Darfur told Dabanga Radio that four cases were recorded on Tuesday at camp Hamidiya and three other cases recorded at camp Khamsa Dagayeg. Nine new cases were recorded at villages near Zalingei, making the number of hospitalised cases at the isolation centre of Zalingei Royal Hospital 73 cases until Tuesday.

He added that the authorities announced the opening of a new medical isolation centre at Abta village near Zalingei which received six cases.

Nuba Mountains

In the Nuba Mountains, one person has died and 17 others have been infected with cholera at Kadugli Hospital in South Kordofan from August 15 to August 29.

On Tuesday a medical source told Radio Dabanga that Kadugli Hospital has received 18 cases of cholera since mid-month until Sunday.

The source said that on the August 27, the hospital received three cases from one district of whom one died.

The source also pointed out that there are two other cases in the hospital receiving treatment.

‘Drop in cases’

On Wednesday activists reported to Radio Dabanga that there has been a drop in cholera cases and deaths in Kass of South Darfur and El Sareif Beni Hussein in North Darfur.

The cholera mortality rate has dropped by an average of one to two cases a day, while the average daily admission to Kass Hospital has been between five and seven cases.

A voluntary work activist from El Sareif Beni Hussein said they are 'cautiously optimistic' as he reported "a slight drop in cholera cases in the locality", where two cases were reported yesterday, while the number of hospitalised cases has been seven.

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