HIGHLIGHTS
• As of 30 October, 200 viral haemorrhagic fever cases, including 104 deaths, were reported in 12 localities in South, East, Central, West and North Darfur.
• Over 400 whooping cough cases reported in North Darfur’s El Sireaf locality.
• In Central Darfur, 800 homes were damaged by heavy rains affecting 4,000 people.
• The total number of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan now stands at 197,635, according to UNHCR.
• Some 8,500 primary school children in Blue Nile’s Geissan locality to benefit from a school feeding programme aimed to encourage school enrolment.
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) 197,635
Refugees of other nationalities (UNHCR) 175,250
FUNDING
1.04 billion requested in 2015 (US$)
57% reported funding
Viral haemorrhagic fever cases in Darfur reach 200, including 104 deaths
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH), a total of 200 suspected viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) cases, including 104 deaths, were reported in 12 localities in South, East,
Central, West and North Darfur as of 30 October.
Of the 105 samples taken from suspected cases and people who had contact with suspected cases, and tested at the National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL) in Khartoum, 28 tested positive for Dengue fever in North and West Darfur. A further seven tested positive for Hepatitis E in West Darfur, four were positive for Chikungunya in West and Central Darfur, and nine were positive for White Nile Virus in West, North and Central Darfur.
The state with the highest number of cases was West Darfur (121) followed by Central Darfur (37), North Darfur (34), East Darfur (7) and finally South Darfur (1). West Darfur had the highest number of fatalities (81), followed by 15 in North Darfur, seven in Central Darfur and one in South Darfur.
In response, the MoH and health partners have prepared an outbreak response plan covering all aspects of coordination, disease surveillance, vector control, case management and community mobilization, and information sharing. Joint verification teams from the MoH and World Health Organization (WHO) were deployed to the affected states and vector control activities have been initiated in the most affected localities. In North Darfur, the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) will deploy a public health officer to El Sireaf locality. Technical guidelines for Dengue fever as well as WHO guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control have been disseminated to all health partners. The UN Children’s Agency (UNICEF) and the international NGO World Relief and Save the Children are supporting health education activities in Kereinik and El Geneina localities in West Darfur. Medical teams have also been deployed to West Darfur to support case management.
WHO encourages health partners to send additional mobile teams to Kereinik locality in West Darfur and El Sireaf locality in North Darfur as these are the two most affected states. Strengthening entomological surveillance to guide vector control activities is also encouraged, as well as mobilising additional resources to expand response activities.
Since most of these VHF viruses are transmitted by mosquitoes or contaminated water,
WHO also encourages strengthening coordination between health actors and actors working in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector. Health partners have mobilized resources for the initial response but additional funds are required to continue effective response and control the outbreak