The UN Ofice for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says new suspected cases of guinea worm disease have been reported in several counties over the last two months.

In a bi-monthly situation report, OCHA says the 15 suspected cases were reported between September and October in Kajo-Keji, Jur River, Tambura and.

Others were in Tonj South, Yirol West and Wau.

“In a disappointing set back following extensive efforts to eradicate Guinea worm disease in South Sudan, 15 suspected cases were reported,” OCHA says in the report.

OCHA says these bring to 55 the number of cases reported this year.

It says South Sudan made progress in recent years towards eliminating the disease, with cases reducing from more than 20, 000 in 2006 to just six in 2015.

Guinea worm is caused by drinking water containing fleas that have eaten those larvae that causes the disease.
Efforts to treat guinea worm include filtering drinking water, isolating patients with the disease and health education.

South Sudan is one of the four remaining countires affected by Guinea worm, together with Chad, Ethiopia and Mali, the UNOCHA report says.