UN health agency reports nearly 49,000 cases from Jan. 1 to Aug. 11
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday that Sudan's cholera outbreak is worsening this year, killing nearly 1,100 people since January and straining already fragile health-care systems.
All of Sudan's 18 states have reported cholera cases, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva, adding: "Over 100,000 cases and more than 2,741 deaths have been reported since July 2024."
He said: "48,768 cholera cases and 1,094 deaths have been reported from 1 January to 11 August 2025."
Darfur has been particularly hard-hit since the first case was reported in South Darfur on May 29. "The disease has now spread to 28 localities across all five Darfur states."
According to the spokesperson, 6,491 cases and 130 deaths have been reported, and 52% of all deaths in the Darfur states were reported from South Darfur State.
He said efforts are underway to urgently launch a cholera vaccination campaign in priority localities of South Darfur.
El Fasher in North Darfur is suffering a "severe humanitarian and public-health crisis" driven by siege, displacement, and food shortages, with cholera adding pressure on limited services, Lindmeier noted.
Nationwide, 38% of health facilities are nonfunctional and 62% are only partially working, he added.
He said that child vaccination rates have dropped from more than 90% in 2022 to just 48%. Meanwhile, nearly 20,000 children have been admitted to stabilization centers this year for severe acute malnutrition with complications.
WHO has verified 177 attacks on health care facilities since April 2023, leading to 1,176 deaths and 362 injuries. Lindmeier said WHO continues to deliver supplies and support health centers, but access remains severely restricted.
