Zimbabwe: Death due to cholera strikes 30 people

By Elita Chikwati

The number of people who died of cholera has increased from 28 to 30 as a government, Harare City Council, police and other stakeholders continue to make concerted efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

The government has increased the supply of water, medicines and other non-food materials to the affected areas.

This is monitor the situation.

The Minister of Health and Child Protection, Dr. Obadiah Moyo, yesterday confirmed the death of two other people.

The recorded cases reached 5,463.

"The total number of deaths has increased from two to 30 who died of cholera.The control measures are still in place.

"Thanks to the help of various partners, we are increasing the supply of water and medicines in the affected areas, and we have also received medicines and protective clothing," said Dr. Moyo.

He congratulated Harare City Council and the police for removing illegal food vendors from the streets.

Dr Moyo said development partners were helping to provide tankers, medical supplies and other non-food items.

"The containment plan is continuing, everything is in place and we continue to monitor the situation," he said.

Last week, the government said that the cholera outbreak in Harare was an emergency because of the growing number of people dying or falling ill with the bacterial infection.

In a statement issued yesterday, Cde July Moyo, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Housing, said that due to the magnitude of the health emergency, a recommendation had been made to President Mnangagwa

"Paragraph (1) of Article 27 of the Civil Protection Act, Chapter 10:06, provides that if the disaster is of a nature and of a magnitude such as extraordinary measures are necessary to assist and protect the person concerned or likely to be affected by the disaster in any region of the country, the President may, in the manner he deems appropriate, declare that he or she From a date specified by him, there is a state of disaster in an area or areas specified by him in the statement.

"The city of Harare faces a plethora of challenges, including insufficient drinking water supply, frequent sewer breaks, unclaimed garbage and illegal sales, which has had a negative impact on public health. cases of typhoid fever and sporadic epidemics of cholera, "he said.

Minister Moyo said that it was necessary to put in place strategic measures to manage the causes of these epidemics, including the situation of water supply, rundown sewer systems, management waste and illegal sales problems.

"In view of the previous demonstration of the magnitude of the health emergency, a recommendation was made to His Excellency the President, that the threat of cholera in the metropolitan province of Harare and in D & # 39; 39, other regions of the country are declared in a state of disaster ". .

The current cholera outbreak has been reported for the first time at Glen View and Budiriro.

Cases related to the Harare epidemic have been reported in parts of Manicaland, East Mashonaland, Central Mashonaland, Midlands and Masvingo.