Dozens succumb to cholera across Darfur

At least 24 people have died of cholera across Darfur this week, with reports continuing to reach Radio Dabanga of new infections in the region.

Eight people died of cholera and 13 others have been infected in Murnei locality of West Darfur until Tuesday.

A sheikh from camp Murnei for displaced persons told Radio Dabanga that five deaths occurred after the patients were transferred to the camp’s isolation centre on Saturday, while another three died on Sunday.

He said the camp recorded 13 new cases of cholera on Monday and Tuesday, with 28 people languishing in hospital.

North Darfur

Reports reaching Radio Dabanga from Zamzam camp south of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur record five new cholera infections on Monday

This was announced to Radio Dabanga by sheikhs and activists in voluntary work at the camp.

On Sunday one of the camp sheikhs told Radio Dabanga that five of these were basic school pupils.

He said that the pupils were transferred to El Fasher Hospital because of the closure of the medical isolation centre for cholera in the camp, and called on the health authorities in the state to expedite reopening it.

Central Darfur

The Nierteti medical isolation centre in Central Darfur recorded two new cases of cholera on Tuesday.

A medical source told Radio Dabanga from Nierteti Hospital that the new cases are patients who were transferred to the centre from the camp for the displaced in Nierteti.

On Monday, there were nine cholera patients in the hospital.

West Darfur

Three displaced people have died and more than 45 others infected by an as yet unknown disease that is spreading in the camps for the displaced at Sirba locality in West Darfur.

The coordinator of Sirba camps told Radio Dabanga that a disease that has not yet been diagnosed began to spread at Sirba, Tanjaki, and Bir Kilab two weeks ago.

He explained that among the symptoms of the disease are fever, vomiting and diarrhoea.

He said the disease led to the death of three people at camp Bir Kilab on Sunday and Monday.

He pointed out that Sirba hospital received about 45 patients.

He said the hospital nurses diagnosed the disease as a normal fever, but pointed out that there was no doctor at the hospital and questioned whether the disease was a common fever.

He appealed to the health authorities to move to diagnose the disease, dispense the appropriate medication, and treat the patients.

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