(MENAFN) Cholera has taken the lives of more than 40 people in Sudan’s Darfur region within the past week, according to reports, marking the country’s most severe wave of the disease in recent years.

The outbreak has spread widely across Darfur, a region already devastated by over two years of conflict between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces. Health organizations confirm that this part of western Sudan has become the epicenter of the crisis.

"On top of an all-out war, people in Sudan are now experiencing the worst cholera outbreak the country has seen in years," said a statement.
"In the Darfur region alone, MSF teams treated over 2,300 patients and recorded 40 deaths in the past week."

Reports indicate that since August 11, more than 99,700 suspected infections have been registered nationwide, with at least 2,470 fatalities linked to the disease.

Cholera is an acute bacterial illness transmitted through contaminated water or food, often linked to poor sanitation. It leads to intense diarrhea, vomiting, and cramps, and can be deadly within hours if untreated. However, it is largely curable with oral rehydration solutions and, in severe situations, antibiotics.

Since 2021, the number of cholera cases has risen sharply across the globe, with the disease now appearing in new regions where it was not previously common.

Humanitarian groups note that the mass displacement of civilians in Sudan has worsened the outbreak. The ongoing war has deprived many communities of safe drinking water and the ability to maintain basic hygiene, such as cleaning food and utensils, leaving them more vulnerable to infection.

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