The Ministry of Health of South Sudan has announced an outbreak of hepatitis E in four refugee camps in Maban County of Upper Nile state. These camps host about 109 830 refugees, mainly from the southern Blue Nile State of neighbouring Sudan. A total of 621 suspected cases, including 21 deaths (case–fatality rate 3.4%), was reported between epidemiological week 25–40. A few cases from the host community have also been treated for acute jaundice syndrome in the camp. The outbreak seems to have peaked and is now on a downward trend (Figure 1).
Most patients present with acute jaundice syndrome. Hepatitis E virus was laboratory confirmed on samples taken from some of these patients. All ages are affected, with the median age at 25 years. The male-to-female ratio is 48% to 52%. The source of this outbreak is reported to be the poor water and sanitation situation in the camps and the main response effort is focusing on addressing these.
WHO is providing technical support to the Ministry of Health, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other partners to respond to the outbreak.
Figure 1. Cases of acute jaundice syndrome by week (Expanded Programme on Immunization) and refugee camp, Maban County, 2012 (n=621)
Related link
EPI Weekly Monitor, Issue no . Hepatitis E in Maban [pdf 205.55kb]
