New cholera outbreak in eastern Zimbabwe kills 16, sickens hundreds

[News_Editor]

New cholera outbreak in eastern Zimbabwe kills 16, sickens hundreds

2010-11-08 20:25:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

HARARE (BNO NEWS) -- At least 16 people have been killed and hundreds more are ill after a fresh cholera outbreak in eastern Zimbabwe, according to state-run media on Monday.

The state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation reported that the epicenter of the latest cholera outbreak is in Marange District of Manicaland Province, killing at least sixteen people since October.

"Thirteen were community deaths where the people died at their homes and 3 were institutional deaths," said Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Douglas Mombeshora.

Mombeshora said another 669 people are suspected to be suffering from cholera, while 86 others are confirmed to have cholera. Most of the cases are reportedly linked to illegal diamond mining activities in Chiadzwa, where miners live in unhygienic conditions.

The new outbreak comes only months after most of the country's ongoing cholera epidemic appeared to have passed. The epidemic, which began in August 2008, killed at least 4,300 people and sickened up to 100,000 others.

"We have noticed also that there is a general tendency by people to slacken when they think that the worst is over," said Mombeshora, referring to the cholera epidemic. "After last year’s cholera outbreak, people had learnt not to shake hands but that is all a thing of the past now, people are back to their old ways of doing things including eating cold food."

Mombeshora also added that the new outbreak might be the result of illegal immigrants who came from Mozambique. "Investigations are still being done because we want to determine the exact cause of the outbreak again, but we are not ruling out the unhygienic conditions and illegal border jumpers from Mozambique," he added.

The broadcaster said the Zimbabwean Ministry of Health and Child Welfare is working in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to contain the outbreak in the area, which could get worse by the rainy season.

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