Cholera patient dies, 42 new cases in eastern Sudan

Another cholera patient died in El Gedaref on Saturday. 42 new cases were recorded in various parts of the eastern Sudanese state.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga, a medical source reported that the patient died in the area of Madardama in West El Gallabat locality on Saturday.

“On the same day, four new cholera cases were recorded in the same area, and eight other new patients in the area of Sabouni, while the Mahala isolation centre in East El Gallabat locality received 10 new cases from Um Seneibra.”

He added that the isolation centre of Shueib in El Gireisha locality received 20 new cases between Friday and Sunday.

Blue Nile state

Reports about the spread of “watery diarrhoea” in various parts of Sudan increased during the last quarter of 2016. At least 17 people died of the disease in Blue Nile state in September.

The Health Ministry reported cases in Blue Nile and Kassala in southern and eastern Sudan and River Nile state in northern Sudan in the same month. The first samples of patients were examined for cholera as well.

Since then the deadly disease spread to other localities in eastern, central, and northern Sudan. Lately, almost all reports about cholera come from El Gedaref.

The federal health authorities continue to deny the presence of cholera. The Health Ministry acknowledged a “watery diarrhoea epidemic” in eastern Sudan and Khartoum early this year. It reported in February that more than 300 patients were recorded in El Gedaref, Red Sea, and Khartoum states, but did not announce clear measures to contain the disease.

“It [cholera] seems a stigma for the government. However raising the awareness among communities about preventing cholera is crucial to containing a cholera outbreak,” an UK-based Sudanese specialist told Radio Dabanga in January. He said he fears that the current situation will turn into a long-lasting outbreak.