JUBA
The South Sudanese government announced Tuesday that it had managed to contain a cholera outbreak in capital Juba, going on to report 27 deaths in the capital and 1124 infections nationwide within the last two weeks.
"This time we have managed to contain cholera," Health Minister Dr. Riek Gai Kok told a stakeholders meeting in Juba.
"It's encouraging that there is a decline [in documented cases], but let us double our efforts to rid Juba of this disease," he added.
The minister said he had received a call from President Salva Kiir earlier in the day asking him for a status update.
"I told him that total cases in Juba are 1078 cases, with a total death [toll] of 27, of which 15 deaths have been from the treatment centers and 12 from the community," Kok added. "All these [were reported] in the last two weeks."
Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, medical officer for communicable diseases at the WHO's Juba office, said that even if there had been a decrease in the number of cholera cases in Juba, the epidemic nevertheless appeared to be spreading to other parts of the country.
"In the last two days, the number of cases has decreased. But it doesn't mean we have already contained cholera, since there are confirmed outbreaks in Twic East, Kaka and Kajo Keji [in Western Equatoria State] and in Yei [Eastern Equatoria State]," he told stakeholders.
"I am appealing to all partners that we need to prepare more and focus in areas outside Juba," the WHO official added.
When prodded by the media, the health minister admitted that cholera infections had been reported in other parts of the country.
"In other parts [of the country] we have 46 cases registered [cases]," he said. "In all, we have 1124 cases now."
Kok said that 938 infected people had since been discharged from hospital.
"Even if we succeed to defeat cholera, we will still need to keep vigilance. So let us step up the fight against cholera," he added.
The minister went on to point out that Kiir had donated 300,000 South Sudanese pounds for the anti-cholera campaign.
"We will sit down with partners to see how this donation can be used. We will not miss out anybody in our campaigns," he added.
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