Cholera cases rise to 23, deaths double
Within seven days, cholera cases in Nsanje have risen to 22 as of yesterday, igniting fears of further escalation. So far, the waterborne disease has killed two in the district.
Nsanje first recorded five cases on March 14, including one death. As of Sunday, the cases reached 10 and as of yesterday, they doubled to 22 with one more death. A month ago Machinga District Hospital registered a single case, bringing the total to 23.
been contaminated
Meanwhile, Nsanje District Health Office (DHO) has sounded alarm over the rapid surge of cases, calling for fast interventions to contain the situation.
In an interview yesterday, Nsanje DHO spokesperson George Mbotwa said all cases are from three traditional authorities of Ndamera, Nyachikadza and Malemia in the district.
He said the cases were reported at Ndamera Health Centre and Nsanje District Hospital.
“The outbreak is causing panic in the district and we need quick interventions to address the situation,” said Mbotwa.
According to the DHO, the first five cases were imported from Migaza in Mozambique.
In a separate interview yesterday, Ministry of Health director of preventive health services Dr Storn Kabuluzi said as of yesterday 18 patients were on treatment in the cholera treatment centres in Nsanje.
He said the situation in the Southern Region has been complicated by floods caused by Tropical Storm Ana in January this year.
“Flooding in these districts means that there are challenges in issues of sanitation and hygiene. Toilets and latrines have been damaged by floods. This means that water has been contaminated in these areas,” said Kabuluzi.
However, he said government has put in place measures to prevent and control the further spread of the outbreak by intensifying surveillance, including contact tracing.
Kabuluzi further said that through the Ministry, government plans to vaccinate the people in Nsanje and in seven other high-risk districts against cholera, adding that the vaccines have already been ordered and they will arrive in the country soon.
Meanwhile, Nsanje DHO wants to ask the council to consider restricting travel to Mozambique.
Nsanje last recorded cholera cases in 2015 and it has been cholera free for seven years, thanks to a vaccination exercise carried out in 2015 and 2016.
