Progress being made against cholera in South Sudan

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said progress was being made against the cholera outbreak in South Sudan with cases declining since July 20.

A total of 1,519 cholera cases have been reported since June with children under five and between five and nine years of age being most affected in Juba and Bor counties.

Other at-risk groups include pregnant women, elderly people and those needing special attention such as people living with HIV/AIDS or people with chronic illnesses.

Cholera is a fast-acting bacterial infection that can kill within hours if left untreated and thrives in areas of overcrowding, scarcity of safe water, poor sanitation and nutrition.

"Cholera is a largely preventable and treatable disease and progress is being made in providing access to safe water and sanitation for all populations and improving access to health care services for those who are sick," said Dr. Allan Mpairwe, head of Outbreaks and Disasters Management at WHO in South Sudan.

The WHO and its partners have scaled up prevention and treatment of cholera. Health education campaigns, adapted to local culture and beliefs, have promoted the adoption of appropriate hygiene practices such as hand-washing with soap, safe preparation and storage of food and breastfeeding.

The country's Ministry of Health conducted a vaccination campaign with oral cholera vaccine (OCV), targeting cholera transmission hotspots and vulnerable groups in Juba County. The eight-day OCV campaign started on July 31 and reached an estimated 138,440 persons at 19 vaccination sites.

In 2014, South Sudan witnessed a similar outbreak that affected more than 6,400 people and claimed 160 lives. Until all households at risk have access to safe water, adopt good hygiene practices and have access to sanitary facilities, the threat of cholera to children and other vulnerable groups remains high, WHO said.