Zimbabwe health officials are on high alert after 60 suspected cholera cases were reported in three of the country’s 52 districts over the past few weeks, acting Information Minister Jenfan Muswere said on Wednesday.
Speaking after the weekly cabinet meeting, Muswere said the epicentre of the latest outbreak was Chegutu where at least 58 suspected cholera cases had been reported as of March 6.
Mutare – located near Zimbabwe’s border with Mozambique – and Mudzi have each reported one suspected case, according to the minister.
“Of these, five cases have been confirmed by culture test, and as of Monday there has been no reported death from cholera and no patient has been admitted for the disease,” Muswere said.
He said the Ministry of Health has activated its cholera and typhoid surveillance and response mechanisms in all the country’s 10 provinces.
“Government is also instituting processes for the refurbishing and upgrading of sewer and reticulation systems and provision of clean water,” he said.
The outbreak comes at a time when at least four other southern African countries – Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia – have reported outbreaks of the diarrheal disease that is caused by poor water and sanitation conditions.
JN/APA