Resort town hit by cholera

The coastal resort town of Baia de Luanda has been hit by an outbreak of cholera, according to a study published on Wednesday by the National Institute for Marine Studies. AFP reported that according to the institute’s director, Filomena da Marta, cholera was earlier detected in Baia de Luanda, a popular get-away spot for residents in the capital, in 1999. The report quoted Vita Vemba, the city councillor responsible for public health, saying that widespread disregard for a fishing and swimming ban in the area had compounded the problem. He said a jump in the incidence of diarrhoea in Luanda in recent months was mainly caused by eating foods from Baia de Luanda. Cholera killed more people in Luanda than any disease except malaria, Vemba said. Vemba also said a “sensitivity campaign” was needed to alert people to the dangers of Baia de Luanda, through a coordinated effort by the national health service, city authorities, and local traditional chiefs.