Dated Sunday, 29 October 2023 - here is a copy in full:
Over 100 dead from cholera, dengue in war-torn Sudan
Scanning electron microscope image of Vibrio cholerae. Credit: Wikipedia
Outbreaks of cholera and dengue fever in war-torn Sudan have left more than 100 people dead since August, the health ministry said on Saturday.
A total of 1,049 cases of cholera, 73 of them fatal, were recorded in Khartoum, Al-Jazira state to its south and Gedaref state to the its west, the ministry said.
Khartoum has been one of the main battlegrounds in the fighting between rival generals that has gripped the country since April.
Hundreds of thousands of residents of greater Khartoum have fled to calmer areas of Gedaref and Al-Jazira, overwhelming the supply of clean water.
Nine Sudanese states have recorded cases of mosquito-borne dengue, with 49 deaths from a total of 3,316 cases, the ministry said.
Gedaref state, which borders Ethiopia, reported 2,152 of the cases and 33 of the deaths.
Even before the fighting broke out in April, Sudan's health care system struggled to contain the disease outbreaks that accompany the country's rainy season which begins in June.
Now—with hospitals bombed, medicines running low and many doctors fleeing the country—the health care system has been pushed to the brink.
The health ministry report said 70 percent of hospitals in war-torn areas are out of service.
SYMPTOMS observed in the affected individuals include high fever, bloody vomiting and stool, rash, cough, sore throat, red eyes, runny nose, blurred vision, and generalized weakness. NIDO reported that the disease had affected approximately 150 people, resulting in 23 deaths. These deaths occurred within three days of the onset of the disease. However, those who survived past the initial five days showed signs of improvement. Read more.
Article at Outbreak News Today NewsDesk @bactiman63 By PRESS RELEASE Published Thursday 3 August 2023 - here is a full copy and video on cholera.
South Sudan: Suspected disease outbreak, Symptoms resembling Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is working closely with the Ministry of Health in the Republic of South Sudan to manage a suspected disease outbreak, exhibiting symptoms similar to those of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) in the remote areas of Dukubela, Pacime, and Dajo areas of Longechuck County, Upper Nile State.
The outbreak was initially reported on June 16, 2023 by the Nile Initiative Development Organization (NIDO) during a supervisory visit to Dajo Primary Health Care Unit. NIDO found that the disease seemed to have originated from Dukubela, a mountainous area of Longechuk county that borders the Southern Blue Nile in Sudan and Assosa areas in Ethiopia. This area has recently seen an influx of returning residents and refugees from the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The Africa CDC deployed technical experts to support the Ministry of Health in conducting a comprehensive risk assessment, support the development of a comprehensive national response plan, and strengthen capacity in coordination, surveillance, laboratory operations and risk communication and community engagement (RCCE).
Symptoms observed in the affected individuals include high fever, bloody vomiting and stool, rash, cough, sore throat, red eyes, runny nose, blurred vision, and generalized weakness. NIDO reported that the disease had affected approximately 150 people, resulting in 23 deaths. These deaths occurred within three days of the onset of the disease. However, those who survived past the initial five days showed signs of improvement.
In response to the health crisis, the Ministry of Health, alongside the World Health Organization, swiftly dispatched a multidisciplinary Rapid Response Team to Longechuk. This team delivered medical supplies, carried out disease-specific consultations and conducted active case finding in the Dajo & Pacime communities.
After a thorough field investigation, the Rapid Response Team line-listed 227 suspected cases and 29 related deaths. Laboratory tests for 45 samples confirmed cases of malaria and measles, with 71% of samples testing positive for malaria, 58% for measles and a co-infection rate of 45%. Despite that all the 45 samples tested negative for viral haemorrhagic fevers, ruling it out as a potential source of the outbreak, health authorities remain on high alert by maintaining surveillance measures in place to promptly identify and respond to any disease threat.
“Our strategy includes escalating preparedness and response activities, intensifying cross-border collaboration for improved surveillance and information sharing, and rolling out an integrated campaign for Measles vaccination and Malaria control in Longechuck County and surrounding areas. We are appealing to our partners, including Africa CDC, to strengthen our laboratory capacity, particularly in pathogen genomic sequencing for timely detection of diseases threat,” said Hon. Dr. Ader Macar Aciek, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health.
Longechuck is a remote location bordering Ethiopia and Sudan, and the difficult terrain, particularly in Pacime, poses unique challenges to managing this health crisis. Residents face a challenging nine-hour walk to the nearest healthcare facility in Dajo. The influx of returnees and refugees further strains the existing scarce medical resources in the area.
Communication infrastructure like phones and the Internet are unavailable in the area, leaving the only feasible means of communication as satellite phones. Despite these hurdles, an integrated response plan is underway.
Africa CDC is working closely with the Ministry of Health to identify priority areas of intervention with greater impact. Ongoing initiatives include coordinating emergency response systems at national and sub-national levels, procuring lab equipment and supplies, and boosting laboratory capabilities for efficient sample handling. Communications are underway between the Ministry of Health and Africa CDC’s technical team to explore the possibility of institutionalizing sequencing capacities in the Republic of South Sudan.
__________________________
VIDEO Cholera: A significant global health concern
The Blue Nile Doctors' Committee reported that the number of cases in El Roseires Hospital suspected to have cholera has risen to 19, including three patients who were transferred from Ed Damazin Hospital.
In a field report published on Wednesday evening, the committee pointed out that the general conditions of patients are stable, and that no deaths have been recorded, except for the two patients that died at the beginning of the outbreak of the disease.
No new cases of cholera have been reported in other hospitals and in rural health centres.
Health crisis looms for Sudan's new government as flooding kills 60
Concerns growing that floodwaters could cause disease outbreak in Sudan
Sudan's new transitional government could immediately face a health crisis, aid workers have warned, after flooding caused by ongoing heavy rains killed at least 60 people, according to the UN's children agency UNICEF.
Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and dozens of people killed by roofs collapsing or electrocution, UN spokesman Jens Laerke told a press conference on Friday.
"If this is not treated as a national disaster very soon, we will soon see a waterborne disease outbreak and possible cholera," a UN insider told Middle East Eye.
Intense flooding in #Sudan's far east town of Kassala (كسلا) this week. Footage from Tuesday shows floodwater rushing down from Totel Mountain (جبل توتيل) into #Kassala. This video was filmed from this corner: https://t.co/D4NPmFzUDRpic.twitter.com/hBPzSTCREk
Sudan's own Humanitarian Aid Commission also warned that once the rains subside, disease-carrying mosquitos could breed in the stagnant waters left behind.
The worst-hit area of Sudan has been White Nile state, according to the UN, where almost 70,000 people have been affected and camps for South Sudanese refugees have been damaged.
At least 190,000 people have been affected by the heavy rains, which has hit all but three of Sudan's 18 states and is expected to continue in coming days.
The UN warned that shelter for displaced families has become an urgent need because so many have been destroyed.
Amsterdam-based Sudanese broadcaster Radio Dabanga reported that protests were held in the capital Khartoum this week, demanding that more be done for areas affected by the floods.
Members of a new transitional joint civilian and military government were sworn in this week, including a new prime minister.
The government was formed after months of protests that in April this year ended former president Omar al-Bashir's three decades in power and called for civilian rule.
CAIRO (AP) - A Sudanese health official says death toll from flooding triggered by heavy rains has climbed to at least 62 people across the country in the past two months. Acting Deputy Health ...
