Unknown disease kills at least three in South Darfur

A number of people have died of a hitherto unknown disease in Katila locality, South Darfur. Its symptoms are high fever, vomiting, abdominal and back pain, nosebleeds and the yellowing of the eyes. The disease appears to have an incubation period of three to six days. Conflicting reports about the death toll were given by residents and the South Darfur Ministry of Health. Residents of Katila told Radio Dabanga that 18 people died at Khor Shamam, and four others in the area near Katila Town. In a press statement, the South Darfur Minister of Health, Omar Suleiman, reported about the death of four people. Yet according to a medical report issued by the Katila hospital, three children between 11 and 12 years old died. The commissioner of Katila locality, Abdallah Yasin, denied the “death of dozens”. He could only confirm the death of three citizens due to the disease in the past few days. The director of the epidemiology department at the South Darfur Ministry of Health, Ali Mirghani, told Radio Dabanga that a medical team was sent to the areas of Katila, Khor Shamam and Abu Seigan. Samples have been taken and sent to Khartoum to be tested. The specialist predicted that the disease may be related to “water pollution or dead animals”. He pointed out that a patient from the area transferred to the Nyala hospital, was diagnosed with hepatitis. File photo: A patient at Nyala hospital