Following the confirmation of eight cases in Rubkona county, South Sudan's Ministry of Health has declared a cholera outbreak. The move comes after testing by the National Public Health Laboratory in Juba verified the outbreak,as per reports.
"The public is advised to remain calm and follow all precautionary measures to prevent community transmission and spread in populations with insufficient access to safe drinking water, poor personal hygiene, and inadequate access to improved sanitation facilities," the Ministry said in a statement.
So far, 31 cases, including one death, have been reported from Rubkona town and the Bentiu IDP camp, according to the report. The confirmed cases included watery diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration, according to the Ministry, and were admitted and treated at MSF Bentiu's protection of civilians (PoC) facility, with all cases being discharged. It announced a confirmed case of cholera from the Bentiu IDP camp on April 14, the first cholera case reported in South Sudan since the horrific cholera outbreak in 2017, which killed 644 people and affected over 28,000 people.
Following confirmation of the initial case on April 14, the Ministry said it deployed a quick response team from April 22 to 29 with the help of partners to examine the causes and support the state-level response. In addition, sufficient supplies have been provided in Rubkona county to aid in the investigation and treatment of cases. According to the ministry, in January and March, the government, with the help of its partners, undertook two rounds of oral cholera immunisation in Rubkona county.
The risk of cholera is usually highest during the rainy season, which runs from May to October.
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