2,729 cholera cases, 172 deaths recorded in Sudan within one week: health ministry

KHARTOUM, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese Ministry of Health on Tuesday announced a surge in cholera cases, with 2,729 infections and 172 deaths recorded within a single week.

"A meeting of the Federal Emergency Operations Center reported an increase in cholera cases across multiple states, with 2,729 infections and 172 deaths recorded in one week," the ministry said in a statement.

It noted that 90 percent of the new cases were reported in Khartoum State, particularly in Karari, Omdurman, and Umbada, followed by North Kordofan, Sinnar, Gezira, White Nile, and River Nile states.

Meanwhile, Fath Al-Rahman Al-Amin, head of Khartoum State's health authority, attributed the outbreak to damage to power and water infrastructure during the country's conflict. He said the destruction had forced residents to use contaminated water sources, resulting in a spike in infections.

Al-Amin added that 10 isolation centers had been established in Khartoum State, most of them in Omdurman, to receive and treat individuals infected with cholera. He expressed optimism that the outbreak may subside in the coming days.

According to the non-governmental medical aid group Doctors Without Borders, the interruption of electricity and water services across much of Khartoum State has fueled the spread of epidemic diseases, including cholera, as residents have been forced to rely on unsafe water sources.

Khartoum State, particularly Omdurman city, has seen a rise in attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the latest being a drone strike on three power stations on May 15, which caused a citywide power outage lasting around 10 days.

United Nations organizations have previously warned that escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure, including power stations, are obstructing access to electricity and clean water for millions of people across the country.

Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF since April 2023. The war has killed tens of thousands and forced millions to flee their homes, both within Sudan and across its borders. Enditem