At least 68 people died due to cholera in eastern Chad after being declared an epidemic in late July in a Sudanese refugee camp, the French Ministry of Health told the French Agency yesterday.

“After the notice of the first case of cholera in the Dugi camp, we count until August 26 (ed. Yesterday Tuesday) in total 1.016 outbreaks »; Among them “68 deaths”; Tajantin Maamat Alamamin, director of communications by the Ministry, explained to AFP, stating that the number includes patients who have been recovered, people who continue to be hospitalized and deceased.

The epidemic was declared in late July, when four deaths and 42 suspicious cases were recorded in the camp.

Cholera is an acute infection of the gastrointestinal tract, specifically transmitted through food, water and feces infected with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps and dehydration and can cause the patient’s death in hours unless antibiotics are administered and if there is no immediate hydration. It is extremely dangerous for children, above all the younger ones.

In a statement, the UN said that ‘Lightning spread’ of the disease is probably due to the “huge flow” of Sudanese refugees In camps and villages in areas on the border of Chad with Sudan, where they do not have “Access to adequate hygiene infrastructure and drinking water”.

The prefecture of Wadai, in eastern Chad, has welcomed half a million refugees, who left Sudan to be saved from the war, raging from April 2023 between the regular army and the paramilitary forces of the fast support forces.

Sudane 2,400 deaths this year in 17 of the 18 statesaccording to UNICEF.

Since the beginning of the year, some twenty African countries, including LD Congo and Nigeria, have been affected by cholera epidemics.