A Guinea worm is carefully extracted from the foot of a person at a case containment center in Wau, South Sudan. (Photo: The Carter Center)

Suspected Guinea worm disease cases reported in Nyirol County

Health authorities in Nyirol County in Jonglei State have detected at least 3 suspected cases of Guinea worm diseases since last month.

Health authorities in Nyirol County in Jonglei State have detected at least 3 suspected cases of Guinea worm diseases since last month.  

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, Tiwtiw Kuon, the county’s health director, said the cases were spotted among patients in Cwil and Pulturuk areas and that they are currently under investigation.

“The staff of the Guinea worm department is now doing a further investigation with county surveillance officers. They started last week,” he revealed. “Samples have already been collected and they are to be taken for investigation.”

Kon added: “Most of these cases were found in Weikuoth, a Boma of Pulturuk.”

For his part, James Bol Makuey, the Nyirol County commissioner, expressed fear that the cases may shift across the county due to the lack of access to clean drinking water.

“There are cases of Guinea worm in Nyirol. Two suspects are from Cwil and one from Langkien,” he said. “This is due to a lack of clean water and we fear that the number of infections will increase.”

Meanwhile, Duop Rom Kok, the Jonglei State health coordinator, also confirmed that suspected cases of the parasitic disease have been reported in Nyirol and that they are under epidemiological investigation.        

Guinea worm disease (GWD), also known scientifically as Dracunculiasis, is an infection caused by the parasite Dracunculus medinensis and is clinically distinguishable by fever, diarrhea, itchy pains, swelling, and blisters at the site where the worm emerges.

The parasitic disease can be controlled by drinking clean water and isolating those infected from water sources.

Until 2018, South Sudan has only registered 3 GWD cases, a marked decrease from 20,581 cases over a decade earlier.