Harare is in “the outbreak mode” for typhoid with 40 confirmed and 600 suspected cases, it has been learnt.
By Phyllis Mbanje
For weeks, the water-borne disease has been wreaking havoc in some densely-populated suburbs like Budiriro, which is now the epicentre.
Council spokesperson Michael Chideme confirmed the outbreak yesterday.
“We are now in the outbreak mode and have intensified our health promotion activities in the communities,” he said.
Meanwhile, cholera has resurfaced in the Chilonga area in Chiredzi with one confirmed case and two suspected ones, the Health ministry has said.
Last year, Chiredzi district was one of the worst affected with officials saying cholera had originated from neighbouring Mozambique which had experienced an outbreak in Tete province.
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Cholera, just like typhoid, can be transmitted through water and fresh foods, especially fruits, fish and meat, and pre-cooked food sold in the open.
Zimbabwe experienced its worst cholera outbreak between August 2008 and July 2009 when almost 100 000 cases and 5 000 deaths were reported in 55 of the country’s 63 districts.
According to the latest weekly surveillance report from the Health and Child Care ministry, the confirmed cholera case was from Chilonga Clinic while the other two suspected cases were from Chizvirizvi and Rupangwana clinics respectively. “We are now educating on cholera as well because Chiredzi is just a bus trip away,” Chideme said.
