An outbreak of cholera in Sudan’s White Nile State has claimed the lives of 92 people in just two weeks, with nearly 2,700 infections recorded since February 20, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Among the fatalities, 18 were children, including five under the age of five and another five under nine, MSF’s emergency coordinator for Sudan, Marta Cazorla, told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The outbreak comes as Sudan remains engulfed in war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been engaged in fierce battles across the country for nearly two years.
RSF launched a deadly assault on White Nile State last month, killing hundreds of civilians, including infants. During the attack on February 16, a projectile hit the Rabak power plant, leading to a mass power outage that triggered the latest wave of cholera, MSF reported. With water pumps failing, residents were forced to rely on donkey carts for water, increasing the spread of the disease.
“Attacks on critical infrastructure have long-term detrimental effects on the health of vulnerable communities,” Cazorla warned.
The outbreak peaked between February 20 and 24, with Kosti Teaching Hospital overwhelmed by a surge in severely dehydrated patients. MSF responded by providing 25 tons of supplies, including beds and tents, to help manage the crisis.
To contain the outbreak, the White Nile State Health Ministry has taken measures such as improving access to clean water and banning the use of donkey carts for water transport. Health officials also launched a vaccination campaign at the onset of the outbreak.
Sudan’s national health ministry reported on Tuesday that the country has recorded 57,135 cholera cases and 1,506 deaths across 12 of Sudan’s 18 states. The cholera outbreak was officially declared on August 12 after a rise in cases from July 22.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has devastated the country, killing at least 20,000 people—though the actual toll is believed to be much higher. More than 14 million people have been displaced, while famine and disease outbreaks continue to worsen the humanitarian crisis.
