MASVINGO residents have been thrown into panic after the city recorded its first cholera case on Monday amid a health hazard posed by constant sewer bursts and poor public health management.

Zimbabwe has recorded nearly 1 700 cholera cases since the outbreak was reported in February.

The outbreak has spread in the country's provinces with officials saying there is no epidemiological link among the cases.

Masvingo residents are supplied with running water at least once a week and relying on community boreholes despite laboratory tests showing it's not good for human consumption.

In populous suburbs like Mucheke and Rujeko raw sewage is flowing.

Masvingo residents and ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mutimba said the citizens are now worried over the outbreak.

"We are worried if the authorities are going to handle the outbreak well.

"We have a water shortage council is not giving water and for this outbreak to be effectively managed hygiene should be practised and how will they manage the outbreak when even the city's clinics and the sole hospital do not have running water.

"This outbreak will spread rapidly as the city already has favourable conditions for it to spread," Mutimba said.

Masvingo city council has only four clinics to cater for residents in its 11 wards and of the four only one has bedding facilities to admit patients.

During the height of the cholera epidemic which once ravaged the country over two decades ago, Masvingo city was spared from the outbreak owed to a functional water and sewer system.