Sudanese authorities have declared on August 17, a cholera epidemic. “We are declaring a cholera epidemic due to climatic conditions and the contamination of drinking water”, said Haitham Ibrahim in a video recording released by his ministry.
This decision was taken in consultation “with the health authorities of the state of Kassala, UN agencies and experts” following the “discovery by the public health laboratory of the cholera virus”, he added.
The states of Kassala and Gedaref, in eastern Sudan, are particularly hard hit by the epidemic, said the minister, who did not specify the number of cases detected.
For several weeks now, Sudan has been hit by torrential rains, which have displaced thousands of people and brought with them a host of illnesses, with an increase in cases of diarrhoea, particularly among children.
In the particularly hard-hit state of Kassala, the authorities have called for “urgent” and “immediate” aid from the international community.