Cholera toll rises to 127

The death toll from the cholera outbreak in southern Sudan has reached 127, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday.

A joint task force, consisting of Sudanese health officials and other organisations, had reported a total of 5,634 cases between 28 January and 3 March, according to an agency statement.

The outbreak of cholera was first reported in the town of Yei, southwest of Juba town, in late January. The recent cases were concentrated around the two towns.

WHO said various measures were being undertaken to try and control the outbreak, including strengthening the surveillance and reporting system, standardising case management and promoting health education and hygiene with the chlorination of public water supplies.

In neighbouring Uganda, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that 34 suspected cases of cholera had been reported in Koboko district, which borders Sudan.

Twenty of the cases were Sudanese persons who crossed the border to seek medical assistance, OCHA said in a report issued on Saturday. Another four suspected cases had been reported in nearby Adjumani district but were discharged from health facilities.

OCHA said it was concerned about the potential spread of the outbreak along the main road through Gulu district, where many camps for people who have been displaced by war in the region are located.