Disease Outbreak Raises Fears of a Health Crisis Among Displaced Schoolchildren in El Obeid

Dozens of cases of mumps have been recorded among pupils at Al-Rahmaniya Primary School in the Al-Rahmaniya camp for displaced people from West Kordofan State in El Obeid. Health authorities were alerted after suspected cases emerged among students, while field investigations attributed the outbreak primarily to severe overcrowding in classrooms.

The investigation documented 50 medical cases, including 35 confirmed cases of mumps, 13 cases of sore throat, one case of a skin allergy, and one case of tonsillitis. All affected individuals received appropriate medical treatment.

The investigation also revealed that some classrooms accommodate more than 100 pupils, a situation identified as one of the main factors contributing to the rapid spread of the infection.

As part of the response, the North Kordofan State Ministry of Health reported that its teams conducted a health awareness campaign targeting 199 pupils, focusing on promoting preventive health practices and reducing the spread of the disease.

Dr. Yasser Magzoub, a field physician working in the displacement camps in El Obeid, told Mashaweer that “mumps is a contagious viral disease that affects the salivary glands, particularly the parotid glands located in front of the ears, causing painful swelling in the cheeks.”

He explained that “symptoms usually appear after an incubation period of 16 to 18 days and include fever, headache, pain while swallowing or chewing, fatigue, loss of appetite, and muscle aches.”

He noted that “some infected individuals may show no symptoms despite being capable of transmitting the virus.”

Dr. Magzoub added that “the virus spreads through respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing, by sharing food and drinking utensils, or by touching contaminated surfaces.”

He further explained that “an infected person can transmit the virus from two days before the swelling appears until five days afterward.”