AWEIL – An outbreak of hepatitis E in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has led to the death of 30 people and infected 192 others, a health official said.
Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, is commonly caused by viral infection.
According to the WHO, hepatitis E is included amongst the most concerning iterations of the disease (types A, B, C, D, and E) because of its epidemic potential.
Luka Lual Aleu Jok, the health education focal point for Northern Bahr El Ghazal state, told Sudans Post on Saturday that there have been 192 cases of Hepatitis E reported since 2024, along with 30 associated deaths.
“192 is already confirmed officially by the Ministry of Health here in the state with 30 death cases,” Lual said.
Lual attributed the rise in infections to improper disposal of human waste, stating that Hepatitis E is transmitted when patients come into contact with water and other food sources.
“Hepatitis E is a waterborne disease; when the human faces of an infected person mix with water and the uninfected person drinks that, then he catches it,” he said.
“Also, a hepatitis E patient can spread it easily if he or she touches food without washing hands with soap with the uninfected; then the disease is transmitted as well.”
Lual stated that the disease can be easily prevented by being aware of your health status through tests conducted at health centres or Aweil Civil Hospital.
South Sudan has one of the highest rates of hepatitis in sub-Saharan Africa, with factors like poor hygiene, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and low awareness contributing to the crisis.
The country is experiencing a significant surge in hepatitis cases, particularly chronic hepatitis B and C, with many patients seeking treatment at critical stages of the disease.
In January 2024, Doctors Without Borders launched a mass vaccination campaign against hepatitis E in South Sudan, where an outbreak of the deadly disease is threatening pregnant women in particular.
By June 2025, MSF had vaccinated 12,776 women and girls aged 16-45 in these villages, which have also been affected by malaria and malnutrition.
Women are most at risk from hepatitis E, which has a fatality rate “as high as 40 percent for pregnant women,” according to MSF.
More than 500 people have been treated for the disease at the hospital in the town of Old Fangak since April.
