A cholera outbreak in war-torn South Sudan has killed at least 32 people, a fifth of them children under five, and schools have a major role to play in stemming the spread of the disease, WHO reported.
More than 700 cholera cases have been reported in the capital Juba and Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, in the last five weeks, according to UNICEF.
“Cholera is a deadly disease that inordinately affects young children,” Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF representative in South Sudan, said in a statement.
“One of the most powerful ways we can respond to this outbreak is by equipping schoolchildren with the information and tools they need to protect themselves and their families,” he added.
An intestinal infection often linked to contaminated drinking water, cholera causes diarrhea and vomiting, leaving small children especially vulnerable to death from dehydration.
