500 Cholera Deaths Recorded in Darfur Within Three Months

The General Coordination for Darfur Camps for Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Refugees announced that cholera deaths in the region have risen to 500, after 17 new deaths were recorded on Tuesday.

Since June, cholera cases have been reported in Darfur, with the disease spreading rapidly in July, particularly in Tawila — about 60 kilometers west of El-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State — where tens of thousands of El-Fashir residents fled to escape the fighting.

According to Adam Regal, spokesperson for the General Coordination for Darfur Camps, 135 new cholera cases were recorded across Darfur on Tuesday alone.

He reported that the cumulative number of infections since the outbreak began in June has reached 12,061 cases, including 500 deaths.

Regal added that the areas most affected by cholera include Jebel Marra and Zalingei in Central Darfur State, Tawila in North Darfur, Nyala and displacement camps in South Darfur, where the disease has spread at unprecedented rates, as well as Khazan Jadid in East Darfur.

The spokesperson of the Coordination added that most of the areas hit by the epidemic suffer from shortages of intravenous solutions, but humanitarian organizations, local volunteers, emergency rooms, and local authorities are making significant efforts to combat the disease.

He also highlighted major challenges facing response efforts due to the rising infection rates, in addition to malaria, child malnutrition, and hunger.