Published by the government of Zimbabwe
30 January 2007
Harare — NINE people from Mabvuku and Tafara suburbs in Harare have been hospitalised after being infected with the deadly and often fatal cholera and are receiving treatment at Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital.
Three of the hospitalised are from one family.
The cases are from Donnybrook, Circle Cement, Tafara and Mabvuku.
The first case was diagnosed last Thursday but initial indications suggested that the case could have been from Malawi while subsequent cases were linked to Kariba.
The case involved a 12-year-old boy, who investigations revealed stayed with truckers at Circle Cement.
The truckers regularly travel to Malawi on assignment.
Harare's acting director of health services, Dr Prosper Chonzi, confirmed the outbreak but said council was in control of the situation.
Dr Chonzi partly attributed the cholera outbreak to the erratic water supplies in the two suburbs.
"Basically we suspect that the cholera outbreak could be from the contaminated water the people in the area are drinking.
"Most of them are drawing water from shallow wells, which are easily contaminated since they are going for weeks without water.
"We are also working with Zinwa (Zimbabwe National Water Authority) in our effort to contain the disease.
"Our teams are on the ground. We are treating even cases of diarrhoea seriously. We are taking people with diarrhoea for tests," Dr Chonzi said.
He said all the reported cases had been confirmed positive.
"At the moment no one has died and we do not want to lose any life to cholera, " he said.
Harare spokesperson Mr Percy Toriro said council had put in place a number of measures to contain the outbreak, which has now become an annual phenomenon.
"We have set aside an ambulance and there are doctors who are on standby to specifically deal with cholera cases.
"We have also intensified our surveillance in the affected areas and anyone suffering from suspected cholera should seek treatment without delay," Mr Toriro said.
He said wards had also been set aside at the Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital to deal with the outbreak.
Mr Toriro said city public health officers had also intensified awareness campaigns.
"We have also notified all key stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the local World Health Organisation office.
"We have put in place sufficient cholera kits. Our strategy is to try to isolate the disease and keep it confined to the Mabvuku-Tafara areas for easy management."
Mr Toriro appealed to people to be cautious and maintain hygienic standards when attending gatherings such as funerals in affected areas.
Residents of Mabvuku and Tafara often go for long periods without tap water and have been relying on shallow wells for drinking water.
The wells, which are unprotected, are prone to contamination, as residents have also resorted to using the bush for toilets due to the crippling water shortages.
Last year three people from the same family in Glen View died of cholera after eating contaminated fish.
At the moment the country is battling with another cholera outbreak in Kariba at Nyaodza Fishing Camp and Nyamhunga 2 suburb.
Cholera is an infectious disease caused by Vibrio cholerae. Consuming food or water soiled by patients or carriers of the pathogen can lead to cholera infection.
Its incubation period ranges from a few hours to five days. The symptoms include severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
Rapid onset of severe watery diarrhoea will cause dehydration. If treatment is delayed or inadequate, cholera may be fatal.
Preventive measures against cholera
THE following preventive measures must be taken against cholera:
-- Do not buy food from unlicensed food premises or illegal hawkers;
-- Pay attention to hygienic condition of shops and the holding temperature of food; and
-- Buy only those shellfish which are fresh, with intact shell and no obtrusive smell.
-- Keep raw and cooked food separately. Place cooked food in the upper shelf of a refrigerator;
-- Defrost foods only when needed;
-- Use separate utensils and equipment to handle raw food and cooked food to prevent cross contamination;
-- Consume cooked food as soon as possible;
-- Left-over food must be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature below 4 degrees Celsius and be reheated thoroughly before consumption. Discard any food if spoilage is suspected; and
-- Boil water thoroughly before drinking.
-- Pay attention to personal hygiene. Wash hands thoroughly with soap, before eating, preparing food and after going to toilet.
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