November 7, Kassala — The number of cholera cases in Sudan has climbed to 30,880. Dengue fever cases have reached over 6,000.
The war in Sudan has pushed the health system to collapse, just as cases of cholera and dengue fever, which spreads by mosquito bites, are surging. Over 880 people have died from cholera, according to Sudan’s health ministry. The numbers may be even higher, the United Nations said on Monday.
Cholera is increasing rapidly in the states of Kassala and the White Nile, while dengue rises in Khartoum and Kassala, the Federal Emergency Operations Center said on Wednesday. The cholera outbreak worsened following a heavy rainy season which caused flooding that contaminated water sources.
Meanwhile, Sudan’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. According to the UN, many hospitals are barely operational or completely shut down due to supply and fuel shortages. Up to 80 percent of health facilities in conflict zones — which include Darfur, Khartoum and Gezira — are either barely functional or closed.
The World Health Organization said that the collapse is “impeding child vaccination programs and accelerating the spread of preventable diseases, raising concerns about potential large-scale outbreaks.”
Multiple medical sources told Darfur24 that they are experiencing a severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies which contribute to increasing death rates.