Death toll from cholera outbreak in South Sudan hits 60

The South Sudanese government has ramped up efforts to prevent the spread of cholera following the deaths of at least 60 people since the outbreak in late October.

Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Postal Services Michael Makuei Lueth said that 60 deaths have been reported so far, along with 6,000 cases recorded nationwide.

Makuei told journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, that efforts are underway to procure more vaccines after the first batch, sufficient to treat 150,000 people, was dispatched to northern Renk County in Upper Nile State.

"Efforts are now underway to rescue the situation. The Ministry of Health has asked for vaccines. The quantity received so far is very small and they have sent it to Renk so that the people who are there are rescued. Efforts are underway to get more vaccines for the other areas," he said.

The first cholera case was reported on Oct. 28 at the Renk transit center for refugees and returnees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan.

Makuei said that most of the cholera cases have been reported among refugees in Renk County, Rubkona County in Unity State, and Aweil town in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, as well as recently in Juba.

Minister of Health Yolanda Awel Deng recently announced that an additional one million vaccine doses are needed to target vulnerable populations across the country.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), refugees and returnees are the most affected by the outbreak, particularly children under the age of five and the elderly.

The WHO said that contributing factors include limited access to clean water, poor sanitation, open defecation, and overcrowding in transit centers and camps.

South Sudan requires 32 million U.S. dollars to sustain the first three months of the emergency response to the cholera outbreak, the WHO reported.

The funds will be used to strengthen current operations, deploy response teams to newly identified hotspots, maintain essential health services, and procure and distribute additional emergency supplies.

Death toll from cholera outbreak in South Sudan hits 60

Nearly 100 guests from the Chinese and American business, academic, and media sectors gathered in New York Friday to discuss new opportunities brought to the world by China's blueprint for high-quality development.

The "China in Springtime: China's Development Opportunities for the World" high-level dialogue, hosted by China Media Group, came after the "two sessions" concluded in Beijing, an event watched closely by many industry leaders in the United States.

Speakers said that as a key window into contemporary China, the annual "two sessions" once again drew global attention. This year's meetings approved important documents, including the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). This roadmap for China's high-quality growth is seen as providing a new list of opportunities for the world.

Participants emphasized that China's development cannot be separated from the world, and global prosperity also requires China. They described this year as significant for China-U.S. relations, calling for a steady, sound, and sustainable development in bilateral ties that benefits both nations and the world.

During the session, guests from the investment and technology sectors explored topics such as the potential for China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation, as well as the global opportunities arising from technological innovation and new quality productive forces.

The event also featured screenings of CMG-produced programs, including an amazing martial arts performance presented by a dozen humanoid robots with young Kungfu artists at the recently staged Spring Festival Gala, China's most-watched TV show.

The dialogue series will be held in countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

High-level dialogue in New York brings China's development opportunities to world