Sudan's cholera outbreak worsens amid conflict and heavy rains

Sudan is grappling with a worsening cholera outbreak as ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and heavy rains fuel the rapid spread of waterborne diseases.

The situation has become increasingly dire, with the World Health Organization warning of a "concerning case fatality rate" of 2.8 percent - nearly three times the emergency threshold - indicating that the outbreak is spiraling out of control and urgently requires a scaled-up response.

As of Oct 13, Sudan's Ministry of Health reported more than 120,000 cholera cases and over 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.

CARE, an international humanitarian organization, said the ongoing conflict has uprooted millions, forcing families to live in overcrowded camps where access to clean water is scarce and sanitation systems have collapsed.

Cholera is now spreading with terrifying speed through communities already pushed to the brink. Women, children, and the elderly are suffering the most as they are caught between war, hunger, and disease, the organization said in a statement.

"With cholera's fatality rate far exceeding the emergency threshold of 1 percent and funding rapidly drying up, the toll on human life is deepening with each passing moment."

With over 75 percent of health facilities destroyed, healthcare for most people is a growing challenge, more so now in the middle of the cholera outbreak.

CARE Sudan warned that the humanitarian response remains underfunded and overstretched.

The organization said shortages of medical supplies, chlorine, hygiene kits, and insufficient water trucking capacity have hampered efforts to reach newly affected communities.

Additionally, lack of sustained funding threatens to undermine ongoing interventions and could worsen the crisis as the rainy season continues.