{{See also|Humanitarian impact of the Sudanese civil war (2023–present)}}
{{See also|Humanitarian impact of the Sudanese civil war (2023–present)}}
[[Cholera]] is a disease resulting from a bacterial infection and most often transmitted through polluted water. The illness leads to intense [[diarrhoea]] and rapid loss of fluids. Without timely treatment it can be fatal within a few hours, even in people who were in good health beforehand.<ref name=whahas/> In August 2024, at least 22 people died from cholera in Sudan after local drinking water was contaminated by heavy rainfall.<ref name=whahas>{{Cite web |last=Mohamed |first=Edna |title=What has caused the cholera outbreak in Sudan? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/21/what-has-caused-the-cholera-outbreak-in-sudan |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> In October 2024, a cholera outbreak was declared in [[South Sudan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 July 2025 |title=South Sudan’s longest cholera outbreak enters critical stage {{!}} UN News |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165348 |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=news.un.org |language=en}}</ref> The epidemic is centred in [[Khartoum]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sudan reports 70 cholera deaths in Khartoum in two days |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/29/sudan-reports-70-cholera-deaths-in-khartoum-in-two-days |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |archive-date=22 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722184437/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/29/sudan-reports-70-cholera-deaths-in-khartoum-in-two-days |url-status=live }}</ref> By July 2025, a total of 32,000 cases had been reported for the year 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 July 2025 |title=Sudan: Cholera Operational Update (3 July 2025) {{!}} OCHA |url=https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/sudan-cholera-operational-update-3-july-2025 |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=www.unocha.org |language=en}}</ref> along with 2,302 deaths across 116 localities in 17 [[States of Sudan|states]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2025 |title=Sudan records over 2000 cholera deaths since July 2024 |url=https://www.africanews.com/2025/07/24/sudan-records-over-2000-cholera-deaths-since-july-2024/ |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=AfricaNews |language=en |archive-date=29 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729163853/https://www.africanews.com/2025/07/24/sudan-records-over-2000-cholera-deaths-since-july-2024// |url-status=live }}</ref> By August, the cholera epidemic had spread throughout Sudan’s refugee camps,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photos: Cholera outbreak devastates Sudan refugee camps |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/8/13/cholera-outbreak-devastates-sudan-refugee-camps |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> and vaccination programmes had been rolled out.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Multi-country cholera outbreak, external situation report #24 -20 March 2025 |url=https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-cholera-outbreak–external-situation-report–24–20-march-2025 |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref>
[[Cholera]] is a disease resulting from a bacterial infection and most often transmitted through polluted water. The illness leads to intense [[diarrhoea]] and rapid loss of fluids. Without timely treatment it can be fatal within a few hours, even in people who were in good health beforehand.<ref name=whahas>{{Cite web |last=Mohamed |first=Edna |title=What has caused the cholera outbreak in Sudan? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/21/what-has-caused-the-cholera-outbreak-in-sudan |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> In October 2024, a cholera outbreak was declared in [[South Sudan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 July 2025 |title=South Sudan’s longest cholera outbreak enters critical stage {{!}} UN News |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165348 |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=news.un.org |language=en}}</ref> The epidemic is centred in [[Khartoum]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sudan reports 70 cholera deaths in Khartoum in two days |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/29/sudan-reports-70-cholera-deaths-in-khartoum-in-two-days |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en |archive-date=22 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250722184437/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/29/sudan-reports-70-cholera-deaths-in-khartoum-in-two-days |url-status=live }}</ref> By July 2025, a total of 32,000 cases had been reported for the year 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 July 2025 |title=Sudan: Cholera Operational Update (3 July 2025) {{!}} OCHA |url=https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/sudan-cholera-operational-update-3-july-2025 |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=www.unocha.org |language=en}}</ref> along with 2,302 deaths across 116 localities in 17 [[States of Sudan|states]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2025 |title=Sudan records over 2000 cholera deaths since July 2024 |url=https://www.africanews.com/2025/07/24/sudan-records-over-2000-cholera-deaths-since-july-2024/ |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=AfricaNews |language=en |archive-date=29 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729163853/https://www.africanews.com/2025/07/24/sudan-records-over-2000-cholera-deaths-since-july-2024// |url-status=live }}</ref> By August, the cholera epidemic had spread throughout Sudan’s refugee camps,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photos: Cholera outbreak devastates Sudan refugee camps |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/8/13/cholera-outbreak-devastates-sudan-refugee-camps |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> and vaccination programmes had been rolled out.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Multi-country cholera outbreak, external situation report #24 -20 March 2025 |url=https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/multi-country-cholera-outbreak–external-situation-report–24–20-march-2025 |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref>
As of 13 October 2025, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health recorded 120,496 cholera cases and 3,368 deaths nationwide. Since the outbreak began in May 2025 in Nitega, [[South Darfur]], more than 17,000 cases and 570 deaths (a case fatality rate of 3.3%) have been reported across the five Darfur states, including over 1,200 cases and 81 deaths in South Darfur, 250 cases and 13 deaths in East Darfur, and a similar number in [[South Kordofan]]. Infection rates continue to rise throughout the Darfur region.<ref name =choout>{{cite web | title=Cholera outbreak worsens amid conflict in Sudan | website=ReliefWeb | date=2025-10-14 | url=https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/cholera-outbreak-worsens-amid-conflict-sudan | access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref>
As of 13 October 2025, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health recorded 120,496 cholera cases and 3,368 deaths nationwide. Since the outbreak began in May 2025 in Nitega, [[South Darfur]], more than 17,000 cases and 570 deaths (a case fatality rate of 3.3%) have been reported across the five Darfur states, including over 1,200 cases and 81 deaths in South Darfur, 250 cases and 13 deaths in East Darfur, and a similar number in [[South Kordofan]]. Infection rates continue to rise throughout the Darfur region.<ref name =choout>{{cite web | title=Cholera outbreak worsens amid conflict in Sudan | website=ReliefWeb | date=2025-10-14 | url=https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/cholera-outbreak-worsens-amid-conflict-sudan | access-date=2025-10-25}}</ref>
Disease outbreak in Sudan and South Sudan
| 2024–2025 Sudanese cholera epidemic | |
|---|---|
Image of cholera under a microscope |
|
| Disease | Cholera |
| Location | Sudan, Chad and South Sudan |
| Date | 2024–2025 |
|
Type |
Infection |
| Confirmed cases | 462,890 |
|
Deaths |
5,869 |
The 2024–2025 Sudanese cholera epidemic is an ongoing medical crisis in Sudan, Chad and South Sudan. It is reportedly the worst cholera outbreak in years.[1] UNICEF has reported the epidemic is being exacerbated by the Sudanese civil war.[2] It has heavily affected the states of Kassala, Gedaref, River Nile, Al Jazirah and Khartoum.[3] The cholera epidemic in Sudan is part of a wider outbreak; as of 31 August 2025, 462,890 cases and 5,869 deaths had been reported from 32 countries across five WHO regions.[4] As of 13 October 2025, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health recorded 120,496 cholera cases and 3,368 deaths nationwide.[5]
Cholera is a disease resulting from a bacterial infection and most often transmitted through polluted water. The illness leads to intense diarrhoea and rapid loss of fluids. Without timely treatment it can be fatal within a few hours, even in people who were in good health beforehand.[6] In October 2024, a cholera outbreak was declared in South Sudan.[7] The epidemic is centred in Khartoum.[8] By July 2025, a total of 32,000 cases had been reported for the year 2025,[9] along with 2,302 deaths across 116 localities in 17 states.[10] By August, the cholera epidemic had spread throughout Sudan’s refugee camps,[11] and vaccination programmes had been rolled out.[12]
As of 13 October 2025, Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health recorded 120,496 cholera cases and 3,368 deaths nationwide. Since the outbreak began in May 2025 in Nitega, South Darfur, more than 17,000 cases and 570 deaths (a case fatality rate of 3.3%) have been reported across the five Darfur states, including over 1,200 cases and 81 deaths in South Darfur, 250 cases and 13 deaths in East Darfur, and a similar number in South Kordofan. Infection rates continue to rise throughout the Darfur region.[5]
CARE International reported that Sudan’s cholera outbreak was spreading rapidly through communities already devastated by conflict, displacement, and hunger. Millions were living in overcrowded camps with little access to clean water or sanitation, while more than three-quarters of the country’s health facilities had been destroyed. Heavy rains worsened the situation, leading to rising infection and fatality rates that far exceeded the emergency threshold.[a] The organization warned that shortages of medical supplies, chlorine, and clean water, combined with insufficient funding and insecurity, were deepening the crisis as the rainy season continued.[5]
- ^ the emergency threshold for cholera is less than 1%.
