HIGHLIGHTS
• As of 25 October, the MoH reports 182 suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in Darfur including 103 deaths.
• FAO recommends integrating resilience building in food security response.
• In Red Sea State, about 2,300 people have been affected by floods, according to the SRCS.
• In East Darfur, 5,400 IDPs taking refuge near UNAMID in Labado have returned home.
• In South Darfur, IDPs taking refuge near UNAMID in Khor Abeche need food aid.
FIGURES
Displaced people in Sudan (as of Dec 2014) 3.1 million
Displaced people in Darfur (as of Dec 2014) 2.5 million
(in 2015) 223,000
GAM burden 2 million
South Sudanese refugee arrivals in Sudan - since 15 Dec 2013 (UNHCR) 197,942
Refugees of other nationalities (UNHCR) 175,250
FUNDING
1.04 billion requested in 2015 (US$)
57% reported funding
MoH reports 182 suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases in Darfur
On 27 October, the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) reported an outbreak of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) in Darfur. According to the MoH, from 29 August to 25 October a total of 182 suspected VHF cases, including 103 deaths, were reported in 12 localities in South, East, Central, West and North Darfur.
Of the 36 samples—taken from suspected cases and people who had contact with them—tested at the Central Public Health Laboratory in Khartoum, eight samples from Central, West and North Darfur tested positive for West Nile virus, while four samples from West and Central Darfur tested positive for Chikungunya virus. West Nile virus is a type of haemorrhagic fever, commonly found in Africa that can cause fatal neurological disease and is often transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Chikungunya is a viral disease that is also transmitted by infected mosquitoes and is characterized with an abrupt onset of fever accompanied by joint pains. None of the samples tested positive for Yellow fever,
Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, Dengue Fever or Rift Valley fever.
The locality with the highest number of cases was West Darfur (110) followed by North and Central Darfur with 33 cases each, South Darfur (1) and finally East Darfur (5). West Darfur had the highest number of fatalities (81), followed by North Darfur (15), six in Central Darfur and one in East Darfur.
In response, joint MoH/WHO verification teams were deployed to the affected states.
Vector control activities have started and infection control measures were initiated in the affected localities. Additional pumps, fogging machines and insecticides—provided by MoH and WHO—will be transported to the affected states. The Government, WHO and partners are effectively responding to the needs caused by the VHF outbreak.