WHO warns of worsening cholera outbreak in Sudan as conflict and rainy season compound humanitarian crisis

The World Health Organization warns that Sudan's cholera outbreak, which has killed at least 114 people and infected over 1,300 since June 27, 2026, is poised to worsen. Ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, coupled with the upcoming rainy season, exacerbates the crisis. Severe access blockages hamper aid delivery to besieged areas like El-Obeid, where health systems are overwhelmed, leaving millions of displaced people highly vulnerable.

Sudan cholera outbreak

• ▪A cholera outbreak declared in Sudan on June 27, 2026, has killed at least 114 people and infected more than 1,300 others
• ▪The cholera outbreak is spreading across several Sudanese states, primarily in the western part of the country, including Darfur and Kordofan
• ▪The cholera case fatality rate in Sudan is extremely high at 13.7 percent

Humanitarian access blockages

• ▪Ongoing conflict and access blockages in Sudan severely constrain aid and healthcare workers from reaching affected communities
• ▪Daily drone attacks and intensifying fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces hamper aid access to besieged El-Obeid

El-Obeid health crisis

• ▪UN World Health Organization Representative to Sudan Shible Sahbani warned that El-Obeid risks becoming a second al-Fashir or worse
• ▪Health facilities in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, are overwhelmed and under increasing strain with very limited access to care

Rainy season disease risk

• ▪The upcoming rainy season in Sudan is expected to worsen the cholera outbreak and increase the risk of disease transmission
• ▪Cholera is a severe and potentially fatal diarrhoeal disease that spreads quickly when sewage and drinking water are not adequately treated

WHO medical supply delivery

• ▪The shipment to Kadugli on July 6, 2026, was the first World Health Organization delivery to reach the area since December 2024 due to access blockages
• ▪The World Health Organization delivered 8.5 tonnes of medical supplies to Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan on July 6, 2026

Displacement vulnerability

• ▪At least 13.4 million people remain displaced due to the conflict in Sudan, including nine million within the country and 4.6 million in neighbouring countries
• ▪Sudan faces the world's largest humanitarian crisis with more than 33 million people in need, including 21 million requiring health services