Sudan Faces Severe Cholera Outbreak with Over 170 Deaths in a Week

A rapidly escalating cholera outbreak in Sudan has resulted in the deaths of more than 170 individuals and caused over 2,500 infections within just one week, according to local health authorities. The outbreak primarily affected the capital city, Khartoum, and the neighboring metropolis Omdurman, but other regions including North Kordofan, Sennar, Gazira, White Nile, and Nile River states have also reported cases.

The international medical organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported that the surge in cholera cases began around mid-May, with their teams treating nearly 2,000 suspected cases in just the past week. MSF coordinator Joyce Bakker emphasized that their treatment centers in Omdurman are overwhelmed, describing the scenes as distressing and noting that many patients are arriving too late for effective treatment. She highlighted the difficulty in assessing the true scale of the spread, calling for a coordinated response involving water, sanitation, hygiene initiatives, and additional treatment facilities.

In Khartoum alone, the weekly average of new cases has been estimated to be between 600 and 700 over the past month. This situation is compounded by water shortages and poor sanitation, which facilitate the transmission of cholera—a contagious bacterial disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration that can be fatal if not promptly treated.

Historically, Sudan has faced multiple health crises; in March, MSF reported 92 deaths and 2,700 cholera cases in White Nile State since late February. The outbreak comes amid Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict, which has resulted in over 20,000 deaths, widespread displacement, and severe humanitarian crises, including disease outbreaks and famine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) underlines that cholera spreads through contaminated food and water, with symptoms progressing rapidly and potentially causing death within hours if untreated. The recent rise in cases is linked to returning populations in Khartoum, fleeing ongoing violence, which has further strained the city’s already limited water resources.

The escalation of cholera within a country embroiled in conflict highlights the urgent need for immediate medical aid, improved sanitation, and clean water access to prevent further fatalities and control the outbreak. This crisis underscores the intersection of water sanitation and conflict, significantly affecting public health in Sudan.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-cholera-outbreak-sudan-people-week.html