Luke Thompson Thoan, the National Minister of Health (Photo by PU)
JUBA — South Sudan has recorded more than 110,000 cholera cases and 1,721 deaths since the outbreak began in late September 2025, highlighting the continued severity of the country’s longest-running cholera outbreak.
The Ministry of Health said active cholera transmission has been reported in Rubkona, Leer, and Mayom counties in Unity State, as well as Renk County in Upper Nile State.
The Ministry of Health provided the update during a press conference held in Juba on Wednesday to brief the public on the latest developments concerning cholera, monkeypox, Marburg virus disease, and Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Luke Thompson Thoan, the National Minister of Health, revealed that health authorities have registered 110,574 cholera cases and 1,721 fatalities across 55 counties nationwide since September 2025.
Thoan cited heightened vulnerabilities due to waning population immunity and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions, particularly among displaced persons, returnees, and refugees.
“As of August 5, 2026, the recorded cases of cholera stand at 110,574, and 1,721 fatalities were recorded across 55 counties in nine states and all three administrative areas,” Thoan stated during the press conference.
“Despite the scale of the outbreak, we are encouraged by the decline in cases in recent months, following concerted multi-sectoral interventions led by the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners.”
Thoan affirmed that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute, WHO, and other partners, continues to strengthen Ebola virus disease surveillance, preparedness, and response measures to protect the health and well-being of the people of South Sudan.
Thoan also warned that South Sudan is at risk of importing Bundibugyo virus disease due to porous borders, extensive cross-border travel, population movement, humanitarian displacement, and major transport corridors connecting South Sudan with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The Ministry of Health is currently in a readiness phase and has updated its Ebola preparedness and readiness plan for the next six months, with an estimated implementation cost of US$30 million across the response pillars.”
He disclosed that the monkeypox outbreak, officially declared on February 7, 2025, initially confined to Juba, has since spread to eight additional counties, with Ezo and Yambio as the main epicenters.
“As of the latest update, South Sudan has recorded 128 confirmed M-Pox cases distributed across Ezo (30), Juba (36), Malakal (1), Rumbek Center (2), Rumbek East (1), Yambio (50), Tambura (6), Yei (1), and Nzara (1),” said Thoan.
“The Ministry of Health, together with its partners, continues to implement multi-sectoral interventions to control the outbreak, including the development and implementation of a national MPOX vaccination plan.”
“Interventions include oral cholera vaccination campaigns and water, sanitation, and hygiene measures. Western Equatoria remained the only state that has not reported a cholera case during the cited period.”
