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At least 120 people have died from a cholera outbreak in Sudan, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)
The WHO disclosed that 1,102 suspected cases have also been reported since May in conflict-affected areas across the country.
This is Sudan’s third cholera outbreak in three years, beginning just two months after the previous outbreak was declared over in March.
The agency said more than three years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have severely damaged the country’s healthcare system.
The outbreak is centred in West Kordofan, a key frontline between areas controlled by the army and the RSF.
The WHO also warned that its response has been slowed by a funding shortage, saying it has received only one-third of the funds it needs this year.
Health officials have also reported nearly 300 suspected cases and three deaths in neighbouring North Kordofan, raising fears that the disease is spreading.
According to the WHO, Sudan now faces repeated cholera outbreaks because of the ongoing conflict, limited access for health workers and shortages of medical supplies.
The agency added that the displacement of millions of people has made access to healthcare even more difficult.
With Sudan’s rainy season expected to intensify in the coming weeks, officials fear cholera cases could rise further as flooding reduces access to clean water.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned that the RSF is preparing a possible ground assault on the state capital, El-Obeid.
Aid organisations estimate that more than 200,000 people may have died since the conflict began, while most hospitals across the country are no longer fully operational.
