War-Torn Sudan Reports Staggring 1,996 Cholera Deaths
The nation has documented 71,373 cholera infections and 1,996 fatalities since January 2025 began—the continent's highest death toll from the waterborne disease during this timeframe, according to Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager for mpox at Africa CDC, who delivered the grim statistics during a Thursday evening virtual press conference.
Boum highlighted grave concerns regarding conflict-related obstacles that simultaneously fuel cholera transmission while blocking containment measures.
Every one of Sudan's 18 states now battles active cholera transmission, with North Kordofan, White Nile, Darfur, and the capital Khartoum emerging as critical epicenters.
War-related infrastructure collapse, particularly water system breakdowns, combined with mass population displacement and restricted humanitarian access, have been pinpointed by Africa CDC as primary catalysts behind this year's explosive case surge throughout Sudan.
Boum detailed multiple barriers obstructing response operations, citing the "very large caseload" currently overwhelming health systems, significant surveillance deficiencies particularly across Darfur, and severely limited healthcare access.
Multiple oral cholera vaccination campaigns are now underway in Khartoum and other heavily affected regions to contain further spread, he reported.
The Africa CDC official also sounded warnings about accelerating cholera transmission in Angola and Burundi. Following a temporary decrease, Angola has witnessed dramatic case spikes over the last five weeks, suggesting an emerging second outbreak wave.
Statistics from the African Union's specialized health agency reveal 23 African nations have collectively reported 300,117 cholera cases resulting in 6,927 deaths since the year began.
"Cholera is really one of the worst outbreaks in the last few years on the continent," Boum said. "When we look at the number of cases and deaths, especially in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, now Burundi, and Angola, which is experiencing a second wave, it is of concern."
Both the number of impacted countries and documented cases in 2025 have already exceeded 2024's full-year totals. The case fatality rate has also climbed higher compared to last year's approximately 1.9 percent figure, Africa CDC data confirms.
Boum partially attributed the surge to climate change impacts, noting that flooding and related environmental disasters heighten disease exposure risks.
He stressed the critical necessity for coordinated continental response efforts to combat cholera's spread across Africa. "We believe that together we will be able to see the decrease of cholera, moving toward its elimination by 2030."
Cholera—an acute diarrheal infection transmitted through contaminated food or water consumption—triggers severe watery diarrhea and dangerous dehydration. Without prompt treatment, the disease proves fatal within hours. Insufficient access to clean, safe water remains the primary factor driving recurring cholera epidemics throughout Africa.
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