Cholera outbreak

A cholera outbreak in the north, east and southern districts of rural Zimbabwe since the beginning of January has claimed at least 87 lives and infected at least 135 others.

A Zimbabwean health ministry official told IRIN on Wednesday that at least eight rural districts were affected by the epidemic. “The torrential rains during this season combined with the unhygienic conditions under which some of the affected people live, are the major causes of the cholera outbreak,” the official said.

The official said the epidemic has largely affected adults from these districts, mainly those between the age groups of 16 to 65. She confirmed that 59 cases were reported from Harare Central, with 26 of these confirmed but added that no deaths occurred in the district.

Mudzi district in Mashonaland East was most affected with 281 suspected cases reported to clinics, with 18 deaths. The official said some of the deaths could have been prevented had people taken the sick to hospitals quickly. “However, in other areas access to telecommunications and to clinics was hampered by flooded rivers and telephone breakdowns.”

The situation, according to the official, has since stabilised and health officials have been dispatched to the affected areas to conduct educational programmes on the prevention of cholera.