Duop Roam Kok, Director General at the State Ministry of Health, told Sudans Post on Tuesday that the cholera outbreak has worsened in Pigi County, with 33 deaths recorded.
“It happened that on 19th November we recorded one case, and the cases started to rise and up to today we have recorded 33 cases of cholera in Pigi County in Jonglei state,” Kok said.
Kok said they are yet to receive reports of cholera situations in other counties.
“We have formed a task force committee from the state level to the county level and we have weekly meetings that will help us to know the situation in the counties,” he said.
He disclosed that the ministry has formed a committee to sensitize the population of nine counties on cholera prevention.
“I urged the community of Jonglei state to wash hands after using latrines and drink clean water or boil water before drinking. This will help in preventing them from the disease,” he said.
He advised members of the public to exercise caution and take necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the disease, including washing their hands regularly with soap, particularly after shaking hands, using the toilet, and handling food.
Cholera, a water-borne disease, is not uncommon in South Sudan.
In October this year, the National Ministry of Health declared a cholera outbreak in Renk, Upper Nile State.
This declaration came following reports of 44 suspected cholera cases and six laboratory-confirmed cases on October 23, 2024, in Renk, Upper Nile State.
As of October 27, 2024, 49 cholera cases have been reported among refugees, returnees, and local communities.
The first suspected case was reported on September 28, 2024, after the County Health Department received a report of a suspected case of cholera at the point of entry in Renk, a border town between Sudan and South Sudan.