Darfur — The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the Darfur yellow fever epidemic is “Africa’s worst in decades”, Radio Dabanga has learned on Friday, 7 December.
Anshu Banerjee, a WHO country representative, declared that the yellow fever outbreak in Darfur could now “definitely” be classed as the largest one since at least 1990.
In addition, the WHO released an update stating that as of 4 December a total of 732 suspected cases of yellow fever have been reported in Darfur, including 165 deaths.
A different report from the WHO and the Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health indicated the figures comprise a period starting on 2 September this year.
The disease, according to the WHO, has been reported in 33 out of 64 localities in Darfur so far.
Six cases emerge in Zalingei
Speaking to Radio Dabanga on Friday, Issa Mohamed Moussa Ahmed, minister of health of Central Darfur, announced the Zalingei hospital recently received six patients infected with yellow fever.
The minister said that four of these patients come from the gold mining area of Jebel ‘Amer in North Darfur, while the other two come from the localities of Wadi Saleh and Umm Dukhum in Central Darfur.
Ahmed declared that 80 people have died and 405 others were infected with yellow fever as of Thursday night. Central Darfur is reportedly the most affected state by the disease.
However, the minister stressed to Radio Dabanga that yellow fever cases have not yet been registered in the following Central Darfur localities: Azum, Nertiti, Umm Shalaya and Mukjar.
Cards’ sales
On Thursday, Radio Dabanga reported that several residents from Zalingei locality complained that security services are preventing anyone who does not have a yellow fever vaccination card to leave the area.
When questioned about these claims by Radio Dabanga, the minister asserted that official authorities were not aware that this has been happening.
Nevertheless, he promised to send officials to investigate the situation. Besides, he added that if yellow fever cards are in fact being sold, he will take “strict measures against those who are obstructing the flow of traffic in Central Darfur”.