Health authorities in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state said there have been 89 cases of cholera in the state with three deaths.

The state's Health Minister Margaret Itto told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that the three fatalities were from Nimule, Magwi, and Lopa Lapo localities.

Itto said the cases were confirmed as cholera after the samples by the Central Laboratory in Juba, and that the state Ministry of Health declared a cholera outbreak on 14 June.

She said locals fetching drinking water directly from rivers and streams has raised concern among health officials, who have issued strong directives to staff to educate citizens on sanitation and chlorination of water to contain the outbreak.

Cholera symptoms include diarrhea. The spread of the disease can be limited by washing hands with soap or ash and clean water, and by using clean water for cooking, bathing, and drinking.

A cholera outbreak in Juba since May has affected over 1700 people with nearly forty deaths.

Photo: A cholera treatment centre at Juba Teaching Hospital  provided courtesy of Medair/Wendy van Amerongen.