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Epidemic risk due to floods

    JOHANNESBURG

    More than 10 million people face the risk of epidemics as the result of floods that hit Southern Africa in the last month, the health ministers of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland and South Africa said at the weekend.

    The ministers, according to press reports, are concerned at the possible spread of infection through the deficiency of drinking water as the majority of flood-hit areas do not have functioning water systems.

    The ministers reportedly formed a committee to collect information about the number of displaced persons in their countries who are in need of accommodation, the regular supply of drinking water and all cases of malaria, diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, typhoid and meningitis.

    At the same time, heads of state and government from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are scheduled to meet in Mozambique on Tuesday to assess the impact of floods on the region, AFP reported on Monday.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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