BY LORRAINE MUROMO THE measles wave is reportedly spreading across the country with Masvingo and Manicaland provinces experiencing high infant mortality rates amid reports that 15 people are feared dead in Manicaland’s Buhera district.
The deadly measles virus hit Zimbabwe in April.
On Tuesday, Cabinet reported that out of the 2 056 measles cases in the country, 157 deaths had been recorded.
Government said it was mostly affecting people who are not vaccinated against the highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person.
It can spread through coughing and sneezing.
Buhera Residents Network Trust director Leonard Mabasa said several wards within the district had indicated that the virus was spreading.
“Wards 14, 18, 23, 28 — in areas near Murambinda town at Gamanya, Dzoma and Makwite villages — have been affected by measles, and this includes Chapanduka area, Mutauto, Gotora, Mafuruse, Matsetsa which are parts of ward 23, ward 24 and other silent zones,” Mabasa said.
“The extracts above show that the breadth and width of Buhera is under threat. Measles are spreading fast and children are dying. We strongly advocate for continuous vaccination campaigns and co-operation for effective implementation of the fight against measles.”
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Medical and Dental Private Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe president Johannes Marisa said: “The virus is spreading virtually to all provinces in Zimbabwe. We should appreciate that those that remain unvaccinated against measles pose a serious threat to the public.”
Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike said: “Even though a safe and cost effective vaccine is available for measles, it is very sad that the country is currently grappling with a measles outbreak that has unfortunately claimed lives.
“In this 21st century, we don’t expect a country like Zimbabwe to be grappling with a primitive disease. This shows that all the gains the country had achieved over the years in its vaccination and immunisation programs are now eroded.”
Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights secretary Norman Matara urged people that are not vaccinated against measles to avoid gatherings.
“We are also urging the public and sectors to ensure that children are vaccinated against measles in early stages,” he said.
