According to Luka Lual Aleu Jok, the focal point officer for Hepatitis E at Aweil Civil Hospital, at least 67 cases have been recorded since last year, with 13 patients succumbing to the infection.
“There is this alarming trend of Hepatitis E killing people. Since last year up to this year, we have recorded 68 patients—some are currently admitted in the hospital—and 13 have passed on,” Jok told this publication on Monday.
He said the most recent deaths occurred last week, when three patients—mainly women and children—died from the virus. “It is common among children and women as well. We are working to find ways to preempt its spread,” Jok added.
Hepatitis E is a viral liver disease that spreads primarily through the consumption of contaminated food and water.
Jok explained that eating undercooked meat also poses a high risk of infection. He said some patients were being treated at Aweil hospital, while others were being supported through outreach programs aimed at raising awareness.
Reports indicate that the disease has been widespread in Upper Nile State, and health officials now fear that Northern Bahr el Ghazal is experiencing a surge. Jok further warned that transmission is also possible through blood transfusion, urging the public to seek testing and early medical attention.
Symptoms of Hepatitis E include yellowing of the skin and eyes, fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, nausea, and joint pain. If untreated, the condition can cause severe complications, especially for pregnant women.
John Deng Garang, a resident of Aweil town whose sister-in-law is hospitalized with the disease, said the community remains largely unaware of the illness.
“I came last week with my brother’s wife, and MSF doctors are now critically monitoring her. In the village, some people believed her condition was linked to superstition. It was only here at the hospital that we learned it is Hepatitis E,” Garang explained.
Medics warn that without urgent interventions, more lives could be lost. Public health campaigns, clean water access, and proper food handling are being emphasized as critical measures in containing the outbreak.
