The mystery illness in South Sudan also known as the 2021 South Sudan disease, also known as the South Sudan cholera outbreak, was a public health crisis that affected the country of South Sudan in 2021. The outbreak was caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera, which is transmitted through contaminated water and can cause severe diarrhoea, dehydration, and death if left untreated.
The outbreak began in the capital city of Juba in early 2021 and quickly spread to other parts of the country. The limited access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure in South Sudan made the population especially vulnerable to the disease.
The South Sudanese government, along with international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), worked to respond to the outbreak and provide treatment to those affected. They set up cholera treatment centres and worked to improve water and sanitation infrastructure in order to prevent the further spread of the disease.
Despite these efforts, the outbreak proved to be difficult to control due to the ongoing conflict and instability in the country. Access to some areas was limited due to fighting, and the displacement of large numbers of people made it difficult to track and treat cases.
By the end of 2021, the South Sudan cholera outbreak had affected over 20,000 people and caused over 400 deaths. However, thanks to the efforts of the government and international organizations, the number of cases began to decline in late 2021 and the outbreak was eventually brought under control.
One of the major challenges in responding to the 2021 South Sudan disease outbreak was the lack of access to clean water and proper sanitation infrastructure in the country. South Sudan has one of the lowest rates of access to clean water in the world, with only about a third of the population having access to improved sources of drinking water. This, combined with a lack of proper sanitation facilities, created the perfect conditions for the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.
In addition to the lack of infrastructure, the ongoing conflict and instability in South Sudan also presented challenges in the response to the outbreak. Access to some areas was limited due to fighting, and the displacement of large numbers of people made it difficult to track and treat cases. This made it harder to get a clear picture of the scale of the outbreak and to effectively respond to it.
In the aftermath of the outbreak, there was a focus on rebuilding and strengthening the country’s water and sanitation infrastructure in order to prevent future outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases. There was also a push to improve the overall health system in South Sudan and address the underlying issues that contributed to the spread of the disease.
From 2014-2017 South Sudan reported over 28 600 cases of cholera leading to 644 deaths. There were no cholera cases confirmed from 2018 – 2021. In the summer of 2022, an outbreak of cholera was declared in Bentiu, Unity State on 7 May 2022 with a positive culture result obtained from National Public Health Laboratory on 14 April 2022. Since January 2022, over 175 000 people have been vaccinated which should help reduce the mystery illness from reappearing any time soon.
Overall, the 2021 South Sudan disease was a tragic and devastating event for South Sudan, but thanks to the efforts of the government and international organizations, it was ultimately brought under control and steps were taken to prevent future outbreaks of the mystery illness in South Sudan.
Image Credit: Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash
