The El Dawim Emergency Room in White Nile state has confirmed one death and identified six new cases of cholera on Monday. These new cases bring the total number of deaths to 16 and the cumulative cases to 163 in the state. In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health in El Gedaref has launched an oral cholera vaccination campaign.
Instead of using quotes from the original article, we will provide a description of the key points. The Director of El Gedaref Ministry of Health, Abdelnasser Hassan, has announced that cholera vaccines will be distributed to six localities in the state that have recorded cholera cases. These include Eastern and Western Galabat, Central and Municipal El Gedaref, El Fashaga, and El Quraisha. The goal of the vaccination campaign is to reach 1.5 million people and reduce infection and death rates. The Ministry of Health will also continue implementing other interventions to contain the disease.
To support the vaccination campaign, 7,335 technical staff have been deployed across fixed sites, temporary sites, and mobile sites. International organizations have also been praised for their participation in the campaign. Furthermore, last week, 2.2 million cholera vaccines and 7.5 million measles-rubella vaccines were airlifted to Port Sudan for distribution.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), approximately 3.1 million people in Sudan are at risk of cholera in eight states between July and December 2023. On November 7, OCHA reported that Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in El Gedaref on September 26. Since then, there have been 2,525 suspected cases of cholera and 78 associated deaths reported in 27 localities across six states in Sudan.
Mohamed Daoud, the director of the Environmental Health Department of the Health Ministry, attributes the spread of the disease to the lack of resources available to address and combat it, as well as its prevalence in neighboring states and the overall weak level of healthcare in the region.
FAQ:
1. What is cholera?
Cholera is a bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. It is usually spread through contaminated food or water.
2. How can cholera be prevented?
Cholera can be prevented by practicing good hygiene, such as washing hands with soap and using clean water for drinking and cooking. Vaccination is also an effective preventive measure.
3. What are the symptoms of cholera?
The primary symptom of cholera is watery diarrhea, often accompanied by vomiting. Other symptoms can include dehydration, rapid heart rate, and low blood pressure.
4. How is cholera treated?
Treatment for cholera mainly involves rehydration through oral rehydration solutions or intravenous fluids. Antibiotics may also be prescribed to reduce the duration and severity of the illness.
5. Which areas are most affected by the current cholera outbreak in Sudan?
The cholera outbreak in Sudan has been reported in various localities across six states. El Gedaref, including White Nile state, is one of the most affected areas.
Sources: exampledomain.com