Khartoum: At least 23 people have died and more than 310 cholera cases and suspected infections have been reported in two areas of West Kordofan in southern Sudan, a local relief group said Sunday. The Dar Hamar Emergency Room, a community-based relief organization, warned in two separate statements of deteriorating health and humanitarian conditions in Humeir village and Hilla Hussein in Al-Udayyah locality.
According to Anadolu Agency, the group reported that Humeir is facing a significant health situation, with 120 suspected cholera cases admitted to an isolation center and 11 deaths recorded. The isolation center is experiencing a shortage of intravenous fluids and life-saving medicines as the number of suspected cases continues to rise. The organization has urged health authorities and humanitarian organizations to provide medical supplies urgently, warning that conditions could worsen further.
In a separate statement, the group noted the worsening health and humanitarian crisis in Hilla Hussein, where more than 190 cholera cases and 12 deaths from the disease have been recorded. Transportation disruptions have isolated the area, complicating efforts to evacuate critically ill patients for treatment. The group also highlighted a deteriorating food crisis, revealing that some residents have resorted to using animal feed to sustain their children. It called on humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance with medicines and food for residents.
The period during which the deaths, confirmed cases, and suspected infections were recorded in the two areas was not specified by the group. On July 14, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned of the severe impact of continued fighting and disease outbreaks on civilians across Sudan. The World Health Organization reported on July 7 that 1,330 confirmed cholera cases and 114 deaths had been recorded amid the outbreak in Sudan.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of around 13 million people, according to UN and international estimates.