Chimoio (Mozambique), 16 Feb (AIM) - Two people have died of cholera, and a further 30, suffering from diarrhoeal diseases, are hospitalised in Tambara district, in the central Mozambican province of Manica.

The two deaths occurred on Tuesday, in the Tambara district hospital. They were among the three people diagnosed on Monday as having contracted the disease. The Tambara district administrator, Mario Doa, confirmed the deaths in a brief phone contact with AIM on Wednesday.

He said the two patients had entered the district hospital, suffering from violent attacks of diarrhoea. Subsequent examination showed that both patients had cholera.

They were isolated for treatment in order to prevent the spread of the disease. "But later they lost their lives", said Doa.

"In the last 24 hours, we received another patient with cholera", he added. "So right now, we have two patients hospitalised with cholera. Other patients under treatment are suffering from diarrhoea, and they are being cared for in another ward".

Doa said that throughout the district communities are being taught measures to prevent diarrhoeal diseases. Cleaning campaigns are under way to remove pools of stagnant water and dispose of garbage.

The health authorities are distributing chlorine and "Certeza" (a commercial water purifying agent), and are explained the safest ways of preparing foodstuffs, particularly those that are eaten raw.

"In this rainy season, we need to follow all measures of individual and collective hygiene", stressed Doa.

"This is work that relies on community participation", he said. "We know that only by preventing the disease will we have a healthy community. Our main goal is to ensure that the disease does not spread to other parts of the district and of the province".

It is believed that this cholera outbreak spread to Mozambique from neighbouring Malawi, where cholera has claimed over 1,200 deaths.