Cholera outbreaks claim lives in Warrap and Lakes states

JUBA – Cholera outbreaks in South Sudan’s Warrap and Lakes states have resulted in a rising death toll, with health officials working to contain the spread of the waterborne disease.

In Warrap State, the death toll has climbed to 71, with 12 additional fatalities reported in Nyin Achuil, Gogrial East County, according to the State Ministry of Health on Wednesday.

The total number of reported cholera cases in Warrap has surged to 1,623, with Maker Medical Center admitting 84 new patients recently.

State surveillance officer John Akol confirmed a joint team of national and state health officials visited the affected area in Warrap on Monday and referred severely ill patients for treatment.

He noted that health authorities received a shipment of cholera treatment supplies on April 16 from the World Health Organization for the hardest-hit counties: Tonj North, Gogrial East, and Gogrial West.

Meanwhile, in neighboring Lakes State, the Ministry of Health reported that the cholera outbreak across the three counties of Yirol East, Yirol West, and Awerial has claimed 27 lives.

However, there has been some positive news, with 646 patients having fully recovered from the illness.

Maker Malok, the director general in the Lakes State health ministry said a vaccination campaign conducted between March 24 and 28, targeting 322,696 people, achieved 91 percent coverage, with 286,266 individuals vaccinated.

Notably, only seven new cases were recorded after the campaign.

“From 4 to 17 April, we have seen no more cases being recorded in the three counties of greater Yirol, and I saw the huge impact of the vaccination campaign, which was very fruitful,” Malok stated, adding that most vaccinated communities are now protected.

Terran Madit, the medical director of Rumbek State Hospital, indicated that no cholera cases have been recorded in the five counties surrounding Rumbek.

However, he expressed concern about the potential spread of the disease with the onset of the rainy season and urged communities to maintain proper hygiene and promptly report any cholera symptoms.

Civil society activist Daniel Laat Kon has called on health partners and the state health ministry to intensify cholera awareness campaigns through radio and other media channels in both affected states.