By Matik Kueth & William Madouk
Health authorities in South Sudan reported that six people were killed by cholera, with 27 positive cases and 243 suspected cases nationwide. The Minister of Health, Yolanda Awel Deng, said the cholera statute continues to pose a public health challenge and is intensified by the ongoing humanitarian crisis and constrained access to clean water and sanitation.
“The outbreak that started in Renk has spread to Juba and Malakal as well as other areas yet to be confirmed with 243 suspected cases, 27 culture-positive (confirmed) cases, and six fatalities, representing a case fatality rate of 2.5% as of November 14, 2024,” she said.
Ms. Awel stated her docket re-established an Incident Management System (IMS) with the national incident team to ensure multi-sectoral response intervention, including surveillance and lab tests for cholera cases.
“With WHO assistance, a national multi-disciplinary Rapid Response team has been deployed to Renk to support on the ground and to enhance coordination with health and WASH cluster partners,” she added.
Besides, the minister noted that the Ministry of Health had secured over 150,000 doses of OCV from the International Coordinating Group to initiate vaccination in Renk and the surrounding at risk of ailments.
“We are committed to containing this outbreak as effectively as the previous ones, ensuring the health and safety of all affected communities,”
The Ministry of Health urged all partners and stakeholders to join in their efforts to prevent further spread and loss of lives from the cholera outbreak in the country.
On October 28, the National Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Cholera, which initially started in Renk of Upper Nile state as an epicenter and later on spread to Juba, Malakal, and Northern Bahr El Ghazal – Wedwiel refugee settlement.
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by contaminated food and drinking water, which can cause diarrhea, severe dehydration, and death if treatment is not promptly given, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).