Cholera Outbreak Spreads to all Sudan declines in Khartoum

By Staff Reporter

A nationwide cholera outbreak in Sudan has now spread to 17 of the country’s 18 states, leaving only Central Darfur unaffected.

The rapid spread of the disease comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions, driven by ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and a collapsing public health system.

However, in Khartoum State once the epicentre of the outbreak health officials are reporting a sharp decline in new cases following an aggressive 10-day oral cholera vaccination campaign that reached over 2.24 million people.

The campaign, which achieved a 96% coverage rate across 12 high-risk zones, was combined with improved sanitation, water access, and public health awareness measures.

Prior to the campaign, Khartoum State was recording as many as 1,500 new cholera cases daily. That figure has since dropped significantly, with just 10 to 11 new cases being reported each day as of 11 July.

“The drop in cases in Khartoum shows that with the right interventions, we can save lives,” said Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in Sudan.

“But the situation across the rest of the country remains dire and demands urgent attention.”

Since the current outbreak began in late July 2024, more than 87,200 people have been infected, with 2,260 confirmed deaths. The nationwide case fatality rate stands at 2.6%.

Two major spikes in cases were recorded in March and May this year, following drone attacks on infrastructure that damaged vital water and power systems, leaving millions vulnerable to infection.

The spread of cholera to the Darfur and Kordofan regions has raised fresh concerns due to limited humanitarian access and the ongoing conflict in those areas.

WHO is working with local health authorities and international partners to deliver medical supplies and technical assistance. Cross-border routes through Chad and South Sudan are also being considered to reach remote and conflict-affected communities.

Vaccination campaigns are continuing across other high-risk states. More than 265,000 people were vaccinated in North Kordofan in June, and an ongoing campaign in Sennar launched on 10 July aims to reach over 500,000 people.

An additional 3 million vaccine doses have arrived in Sudan for further deployment in Khartoum, while another 500,000 doses are awaiting clearance for South Darfur.To bolster response efforts, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG) has approved the shipment of 2.9 million additional doses for use in 11 localities across seven affected states, including Al Jazirah, East Darfur, and White Nile.

The WHO-led response is being supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), and other international donors.As Sudan faces its worst public health crisis in years, health officials continue to call for urgent global support to stop the spread of cholera and prevent further loss of life.

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