South Sudan’s Ministry of Health on Monday declared a cholera outbreak in the congested Renk transit camp in the northern Upper Nile State, which is currently hosting people fleeing conflict from neighboring Sudan.

Yolanda Awel Deng, the minister of health, said that they have since Sunday confirmed 49 cholera cases among refugees, returnees and the host community.

“The Ministry of Health is aware of the difficult conditions refugees and returnees face, such as overcrowding and poor water and sanitation, which can lead to outbreaks; however, the ministry is working with health and water sanitation and hygiene cluster partners on the ground to ensure that the risk of the outbreak spreading is minimized,” Awel said in a joint statement with the World Health Organization (WHO) issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The minister disclosed that the Ministry of Health and WHO have taken steps to manage cases reported, adding that they are ensuring that every contact on the ground is followed. She urged the communities to practice good and safe behaviors, such as consistent handwashing, use of latrines, and proper food handling throughout the outbreak season.

The declaration of the cholera outbreak comes after reports of 44 suspected cholera cases and six laboratory-confirmed cases on Oct. 23 in Renk. It follows a meeting with President Salva Kiir aimed at securing government support for better access to affected areas.

The ministry said that the first suspected case was reported on September 28 after the Renk County Health Department got a report of a suspected cholera patient at Renk’s point of entry, Xinhua news agency reported.

Humphrey Karamagi, the WHO representative for South Sudan, believed the announcement by the Ministry of Health about the outbreak enables the public to take prevention measures and helps health partners take the necessary steps to contain it and unlocks the required resources for fighting the outbreak.

Karamagi said that the UN health agency remains committed to supporting the Ministry of Health in enhancing disease surveillance, improving response coordination and ensuring the availability of medical supplies. “This includes assistance with case management, laboratory testing, sample collection, transportation, and follow-up.”

South Sudan is currently hosting more than 810,000 individuals, including returnees and refugees who fled fighting in mid-April 2023 in neighboring Sudan, according to the UN Refugee Agency or UNHCR.