Sudan’s cholera outbreak worsens amid conflict and heavy rains

Sudan is facing an escalating cholera crisis, exacerbated by ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and relentless heavy rains. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarms over a ‘concerning case fatality rate’ of 2.8 percent, nearly triple the emergency threshold of 1 percent, signaling an urgent need for a robust response. As of October 13, Sudan’s Ministry of Health reported over 120,000 cholera cases and more than 3,300 deaths nationwide. In Darfur alone, 17,246 cases and 570 deaths have been recorded across all five states since the outbreak began in Nitega, South Darfur, in May. The international humanitarian organization CARE highlighted that the conflict has displaced millions, forcing families into overcrowded camps with limited access to clean water and collapsed sanitation systems. Cholera is spreading rapidly through communities already on the brink of survival, with women, children, and the elderly bearing the brunt of the crisis. The situation is further compounded by the destruction of over 75 percent of health facilities, making healthcare increasingly inaccessible. CARE Sudan warned that the humanitarian response is severely underfunded and overstretched, with shortages of medical supplies, chlorine, hygiene kits, and insufficient water trucking capacity hampering efforts to reach affected communities. The lack of sustained funding threatens to undermine ongoing interventions, potentially worsening the crisis as the rainy season persists.