SUDAN CHOLERA OUTBREAK COULD WORSEN AS RAINS AND WAR BLOCK RESPONSE

The World Health Organization warned that Sudan's cholera outbreak could worsen significantly as the rainy season begins and the country's war continues to restrict access to medical care and clean water, according to Reuters. The outbreak was declared on June 27 and has killed at least 114 people while infecting more than 1,300, WHO said.

Reuters reported that the outbreak is spreading particularly through Darfur and Kordofan, regions already heavily affected by fighting between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces. WHO said conflict, mass displacement and limited access to health services are making it harder to contain the disease before rains increase the risk of water contamination.

WHO reported an alarming case fatality rate of 13.7%, according to Reuters. Cholera is treatable when patients can quickly access oral rehydration, intravenous fluids and antibiotics in severe cases, but death rates can rise sharply when health systems are damaged, patients cannot travel safely and clean water is unavailable.

The warning is especially urgent in al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, where WHO said the health system is under severe strain. Reuters reported that al-Obeid is facing mounting violence and could experience a humanitarian disaster comparable to last year's crisis in al-Fashir, North Darfur, if access and services continue to deteriorate.

Sudan's conflict has created the conditions for repeated disease outbreaks. Reuters reported that more than 33 million people in the country need assistance and 21 million require healthcare. The war has displaced large numbers of people into overcrowded areas where sanitation, drinking water, waste management and medical services are often inadequate.

The rainy season adds another layer of risk. Flooding and standing water can contaminate drinking supplies, damage latrines, cut off roads and slow the movement of medical teams and supplies. In areas where people are displaced or living in temporary shelters, those conditions can allow cholera to spread quickly before treatment centers can respond.

Reuters reported that humanitarian access remains limited by fighting, insecurity and pressure on already weakened hospitals. Aid groups and health agencies are trying to expand surveillance, treatment and water-sanitation support, but WHO said the response is being hampered by conflict conditions in the same areas where the outbreak is spreading.

The immediate questions are whether health agencies can reach Darfur and Kordofan before the outbreak expands, whether al-Obeid's health system can withstand additional cases, and whether rainy-season flooding worsens transmission. WHO said the outbreak remains a serious threat in a country already facing the world's largest humanitarian emergency.

Fact-check date: 10 July 2026
Article type: News
Sources: Reuters, World Health Organization, UN News, Arab News