Flood-related cholera kills 49
2007-08-14 12:19
Kassala - A cholera outbreak in eastern Sudan, which has spread due to devastating floods across the region, has killed 49 people and affected some 710 others, says a World Health Organisation (WHO) official.
Last year, a cholera outbreak throughout Sudan killed 700 people and affected 25 000. It was the first time in many years the water-borne disease had been reported in Africa's largest country.
WHO official Mohamed Abder Rab said all the recent cases had been reported in the eastern Gedaref state and Kassala town, with the first reported on April 19.
Rab said: "The situation in Gedaref is not yet under control ... Flooding is spreading the water-borne disease.
"Latrines are flooded ... houses are destroyed. People are living on the fringes. They don't have proper drinking water or latrine facilities and hygiene is compromised."
Cholera causes acute diarrhoea
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection spread by contaminated water or food. It causes vomiting and acute diarrhoea that can lead to dehydration and death within 24 hours, which if not treated can cause death within hours.
Rab said Sudan's government had been reluctant to announce the outbreak.
He said: "Historically most governments don't want to admit cholera because of the international ramifications and local ramifications."
The little tourism Sudan had was mainly to its Red Sea diving resorts in the east or for Sudanese honeymooners to the picturesque Kassala town.
He said governments were required to report contagious diseases such as cholera.
"There are certain diseases that have a potential for international spread, cholera being one of them, and they have to be reported", he added.
Sudan bordered nine African countries, with Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east. He said: "We will see what the situation is and how the Sudanese health ministry has reacted once we get there."