UN: Rise in Cholera and Dengue Fever Cases
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The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned of a surge in cholera and dengue fever cases in Sudan, as hunger levels remain "above the famine threshold."
In a statement on Monday, OCHA reported that water contamination following the rainy season has worsened the cholera outbreak, particularly in Kassala State, which has been the hardest hit with 6,868 cases and 198 deaths, followed by the states of Al-Qadarif, Al-Jazirah, and Northern State.
OCHA stated that more than 28,000 cholera cases and 836 deaths have been recorded across 11 states between July 22 and October 28, noting that the actual number of cases may be higher due to underreporting. In its latest update on Sudan’s emergency, OCHA indicated that dengue fever cases are also on the rise.
The increase in dengue cases has been especially severe in Kassala and Khartoum states. By the end of last month (October 28), 4,544 cases and 12 deaths related to dengue fever were reported, with half of these cases in Kassala alone.
“This development comes as UN humanitarian teams and their partners continue to warn of life-threatening hunger in parts of Sudan, especially in El Fasher, North Darfur, where the only city in the state still under government control has seen some of the fiercest clashes since the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces began in April,” the UN office added.
OCHA stated that hostilities have “delayed or prevented the delivery of commercial and humanitarian supplies” to areas in critical need, citing Médecins Sans Frontières, which reported that acute malnutrition rates “remain above the famine threshold (Phase 5 of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) in the Zamzam camp for internally displaced people.”
Famine conditions in Zamzam camp were confirmed in August.
“While data remains limited for the nearby Abu Shouk and Salam camps for displaced persons near El Fasher, OCHA reported significant civilian displacement from these camps towards Zamzam due to intense fighting,” the statement noted.
OCHA warned that vital services in Zamzam camp are at risk, including the treatment of acute malnutrition for about 5,000 children, as Médecins Sans Frontières was forced to halt it on October 10 "due to the conflict parties blocking food, medicine, and other essential supplies for months."
The statement highlighted increasing concerns among aid workers about severe acute food insecurity among internally displaced communities in besieged areas like Dilling and possibly Kadugli in South Kordofan State.
It also noted that 80% of health facilities in conflict areas, including in Al-Jazirah, Kordofan, Darfur, and Khartoum, are either shut down or barely functional due to severe violence, with 116 reported incidents since hostilities began on April 15, 2023, resulting in 188 deaths and 140 injuries. The WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care has documented widespread violence, looting, and intimidation affecting medical staff, facilities, ambulances, and patients.
The UN office, citing WHO, emphasized that “this collapse hampers child vaccination programs and accelerates the spread of preventable diseases, raising concerns of a potential large-scale outbreak.”
