Kasungu DHO on high cholera alert

Kasungu District Health (DHO) authorities say although the district has not recorded any cholera case, they are on high alert and prepared to provide effective response in an event of an outbreak.

Kasungu District Hospital spokesperson Catherine Yoweli said in an interview yesterday the district is at risk of registering cholera cases because it shares boundaries with Zambia which has been heavily hit by the outbreak.

On Friday, Zambia recorded 336 cases and 22 deaths in 24 hours as it took its tally of cumulative cases to 4 433 and 172 deaths since October 2023 and has since banned street vending and delayed opening of schools.

Kasungu borders Zambia to the west, with many cross-border trade activities taking place through Chinsinga, Kachinda and Nthunduwala.

Yoweli said: “As much as we have not registered any case, we are well prepared, recognising the fact that we share boundary with Zambia.”

“As a district, we have also been actively involved in Tipewe Kolera campaign.”

Yoweli, who is also a health promotion officer, said they have also checked the availability of proper sanitary facilities in communities.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda told reporters on Friday that the country has already registered 47 cholera cases and two deaths since the beginning of the 2023/24 rainy season.

She said it was worrying that despite the ministry’s efforts to contain the surge, some people were not complying with preventive measures in the country to control the outbreak.