‘Mysterious cough’ among humans and animals in Zamzam camp, North Darfur

A mysterious cough that is spreading among both humans and animals is causing grave concern among the displaced people in Zamzam camp, North Darfur. A spokesman for the displaced told Radio Dabanga that the illness is spreading fast among people as well as animals, especially donkeys. “The animals are coughing as if they were human,” he said. “The phenomenon has sparked panic among the displaced for the last six days. It’s a dry cough that occurs especially in high temperatures during the day, and when it gets cold at night.” He said that the displaced of the camp have notified both the Ministry of Health and the veterinary authorities. “We have asked them to intervene and speed-up the diagnosis so that the necessary treatment can be provided for those living with the disease. The Zamzam displaced have also appealed to Unicef to supply spare parts for the water pumps and increase the number of tanks in the camp. The spokesman said that the supply of water is falling short because of the arrival of newly displaced people from East Jebel Marra, Muhajeriya and Labado, as well as the high temperatures. He told Radio Dabanga that the displaced in the camp have to queue for hours to get a tin of water from the tank that can only be used for four hours a day. “This means that some of the displaced are forced to travel between four and eight kilometres in search of water,” he said, adding that many of the water pumps are not working. “Now that the rainy season is here, there is an urgent need for plastic sheeting, a shortage of food,” he said, appealing to humanitarian and aid organisations working in the field to immediately address the basic needs of the displaced. File photo Related: Aging wells in Adila, West Darfur expensive to maintain (7 June 2013) ‘Insufficient water provision in majority of Darfur camps’: UN (5 June 2013)