A surge in cases of Hepatitis E, a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, has killed 19 people in Fangak County of Jonglei State since mid-2023, local authorities have said.
Biel Boutros Biel, the county commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj that he obtained a medical record of 19 death cases related to the disease, mostly women since the outbreak was declared.
“As the local government, we have been trying to sensitize the communities to keep their environment and homes clean so that they can live in a healthy environment but this is not easy because Hepatitis E mostly infects people from taking contaminated water. Given the situation,” he explained. “Here on the ground where we have limited boreholes and people drink water from river sources.”
Biel attributed the rise in cases of the viral epidemic to the unhygienic conditions resulting from seasonal flooding and the increasing local population, adding that the majority of the cases were reported in Old Fangak. This town hosts thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnees from Sudan.
Biel said the county health department, in collaboration with MSF, has been conducting health education and awareness campaigns to inform the public about the prevention and treatment of hepatitis E. He appealed to the national and state governments to declare Fangak County a disaster area and provide more resources and personnel to contain the outbreak.
“We will continue to sensitize our people to be aware of the dangers and the sources of infection. We will not give up and continue to appeal also to the health partners to continue to manage it.” He said. “And we are grateful to MSF for managing it though this is not adequately done, it is far better than nobody managing it.”
The Director-General of the Jonglei State Ministry of Health, Chot Kueth Kulang, told Radio Tamazuj that the Hepatitis E outbreak is a serious public health threat that requires urgent intervention from national and international partners.
“We need support in Fangak County because the county has been affected by flooding. Now there is a need for more to be done, especially providing clean drinking water in the county because most of the areas are affected by the flooding,” he stated. “And there is a need for WASH partners also to intervene and support so that they can prove sanitation facilities.”
Chot added that the outbreak was exacerbated by poor sanitation and hygiene conditions due to seasonal flooding.
Hepatitis E can cause acute liver failure, which can be fatal, especially for pregnant women and young children. The symptoms of hepatitis E include jaundice, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis E, but supportive care can help relieve the symptoms and prevent complications.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hepatitis E is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, principally via contaminated water. The disease is found worldwide, but it is most common in East and South Asia. Every year, there are an estimated 20 million HEV infections worldwide, leading to an estimated 3.3 million symptomatic cases and 56,600 Hepatitis related deaths.