Sudan diarrhoea outbreak claims more lives

The outbreak of watery diarrhoea in Sudan continues to claim lives, as various sources issue conflicting reports about actual numbers. Officials have repeatedly denied that cholera could be a factor.

Sudan’s Minister of Health, Bahar Idris Abu Garda, announced that the latest statistics for deaths and infections by watery diarrhoea until Monday number 2,058 cases. He said 45 people have died.

The MP of Blue Nile constituency, Abdeljalil Abdelseed Hakim, said that total deaths and infections in the Blue Nile, according to the latest official report from August 17 until September 19, have shown 30 deaths and 1,011 infections.

However, the collective leadership of the National Umma Party said in a statement that during an official tour of Blue Nile and Sennar, they found that 39 people have died from acute watery diarrhoea in Blue Nile state, where 1,700 cases were reported. In Sennar, 560 were infected of whom 18 died.

The commissioner of Sennar locality, Abul Gasim Hassan, told the official Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) that environmental sanitation continues at the various quarters in Sennar town. A meeting with the various executive officials has agreed to gather all stray animals, and to consider Saturday a day for refuse collection and environmental sanitation.

The enlightenment campaign will also continue in the marketplaces and the headquarters of the popular police unit, Adam Mohamed Ali added.