Sudan has declared a cholera epidemic following the deaths of 22 people, as health authorities scramble to contain the outbreak.

Amidst a 16-month long conflict between the military and paramilitary group, health authorities have declared a cholera epidemic in Sudan – posing as a new challenge for the country.

In the past few weeks, Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim reported that 354 cases of the disease have been confirmed all throughout the country with a total death toll of 22 individuals.

Between 1 January and 28 July of this year, Sudan has recorded a total of 78 cholera-related deaths as declared by the World Health Organization.

Without treatment, cholera can cause death within a matter of hours and is spread through the consumption of contaminated food or water due to its high level of contagiousness.

The situation has worsened in Sudan due to seasonal floods that have occurred in recent weeks. As a result, critical infrastructure has been washed away in 12 out of 18 provinces, making it challenging for many people to access clean water.

“Due to weather conditions and contaminated drinking water,” Ibrahim attributed the outbreak.

The already vulnerable healthcare system of Sudan has been further damaged by the ongoing conflict, resulting in displacement of over 10 million individuals and forcing many to succumb to hunger.

On Friday, the World Health Organization reported an increase in occurrences of dengue fever and meningitis infections.

Notwithstanding the army’s absence, a fresh cycle of discussions targeted at resolving Sudan’s conflict was initiated in Switzerland last Wednesday.