A serious cholera outbreak in the Sudan’s capital Khartoum has killed over 70 people in just two days, amid a worsening health emergency in the war-torn city, health officials confirmed on Thursday.
According to the Khartoum State Health Department, 1,177 new cases and 45 deaths were reported on Tuesday, followed by 942 infections and 25 additional deaths on Wednesday. The outbreak is further straining a health system already crumbling from more than two years of conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The latest pick in cases follows recent drone strikes attributed to RSF forces that have disabled water and electricity infrastructure across the city. Although the government recently declared victory over RSF fighters in Khartoum, the city remains in ruins and basic services are almost non-existent.
Health officials say nearly 90 percent of frontline hospitals are now out of service due to ongoing violence. The federal health ministry recorded 172 cholera-related deaths last week alone, 90 percent of which occurred in Khartoum State. While most patients in isolation centers are reportedly recovering, deteriorating environmental conditions are allowing the infection to spread rapidly.
Cholera has long been endemic in Sudan, but the frequency and severity of outbreaks have increased since the conflict began in April 2023. More than 65,000 cases and more than 1,700 deaths have been reported in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states since August 2024. Khartoum State alone has recorded more than 7,700 cases and 185 deaths this year, with more than 1,000 infections in children under five.
“Sudan is on the brink of a full-scale public health disaster,” warned Eatizaz Yousif, director of the International Rescue Committee for Sudan. “The combination of war, mass displacement, destroyed infrastructure and limited access to clean water is contributing to the spread of cholera and other serious diseases.”
Humanitarian organisations warn that the crisis could worsen with the start of the rainy season in June, which is expected to further hamper aid operations.
Khartoum has been particularly devastated by the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced 13 million people nationwide. While more than 34,000 displaced residents have returned since government forces retook parts of the city, many have returned to find their homes destroyed and without access to clean water or basic services.
UNICEF claims that more than a million children are currently at risk in cholera-affected areas of Khartoum. Humanitarian organisations continue to call for urgent international support to contain the outbreak and prevent more loss of life.