Maputo — A wave of disinformation about how cholera is spread has led to the destruction of houses belonging to local leaders of Matibane administrative post, in Mossuril district, in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula.

There have been repeated attacks against health units, mostly in the northern provinces, because of rumours that health professionals are spreading cholera, rather than curing it.

According to Rosa Chaúque, the Police spokesperson in Nampula, speaking to reporters, the destruction was carried out by a group of rioters between Sunday and Monday. They destroyed 10 houses owned by local leaders connected to the ruling Frelimo party.

There were clashes between the rioters and the police officers deployed to control the situation.

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During the operation, Chaúque said, only two individuals were detained and "work is being carried out in order to identify other rioters responsible for promoting the destruction of private property.'

"We became aware of a case of disinformation about cholera in Mossuril district, where an unspecified number of individuals allegedly destroyed a total of 13 residences. The police went to the location to disperse the demonstrators and fired some shots into the air', she said.

According to the Health Ministry, the disinformation about how cholera is spread is responsible for the increase in number of infections and deaths in the rural communities. The data points out that 72 per cent of deaths caused by cholera occur, not in health units, but in the communities among people who did not seek medical care.