Cholera update: Nine die in West Darfur camp

Nine people died of cholera in Murnei camp in West Darfur this week. Three people died in Kabkabiya on Wednesday.

In Murnei, nine displaced people died, and at least seventeen others were infected with cholera, the head of the camp reported on Sunday. “The disease begun to spread in the beginning of this month, but intensified, with four patients who died on Monday.”

On Wednesday, two people infected with cholera died in Murnei. The next day three cholera patients passed away. “The total number of hospitalised cholera cases amounted to seventeen people, among them patients who are in a life-threatening situation.”

East Darfur

One person died of cholera and four others were infected at Khazan Jadeed area in Shearia, East Darfur, on Wednesday. Omda Jaafar told Radio Dabanga that the medical isolation centre has seen eight patients die from cholera since the disease broke out in the area on 6 June.

He said that so far there had been 102 cases of cholera. 88 people recovered from the disease. Fourteen are still being treated.

“I am concerned about the increase in the number of cases because of the residents' dependence on drinking water, which is unsafe.”

North Darfur

Three people who were infected with cholera died on Wednesday in Kabkabiya. The number of dead in the local hospital has risen to eighteen patients. Six others were also hospitalised that day. The patients come from Wadi Bari village, a witness told Radio Dabanga.

Yesterday, one of the sheikhs of Zamzam camp, south of El Fasher, reported that they received two new cases, two women of 27 years and 37 years old.

Sennar

Medical sources told Radio Dabanga that El Dali and Mazmoum localities witnessed eight new cases of infection this week. Three of these cases came from Mazmoum, three others from El Turous and two cases from Bozee, a source reported on Thursday.

“Since June until the beginning of this month, the medical isolation centre in Sinja recorded approximately 400 cases, including two deaths.”

Two people with cholera reported to the centre on Wednesday. “There are temporary isolation centres in Abuareef and El Turous Nureljaleel in El Dindir,” the medical source informed listeners.

Yesterday, a health worker told Radio Dabanga that Salmin village in El Gedaref recorded two deaths and 43 new infection cases of cholera on Wednesday and Thursday.

Doctors: Cholera expands

Yesterday the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors reported that the cholera epidemic has expanded from Khartoum and eastern states to western regions, including Darfur and Kordofan states. Less cases were reported in Khartoum compared to earlier months.

In September last year, Radio Dabanga received the first reports about people stricken by “acute watery diarrhoea” in Blue Nile state. Since then the deadly disease spread to other areas. Though Sudanese medics have confirmed that the disease concerns cholera, federal health authorities continue to deny this.