Cholera cases on the rise, recovery rate high

Health Reporter

There was a rise in cases of cholera with hospitalised cases increasing to 247 on Monday January 1 with Manicaland and Harare provinces, and neighbouring districts, still seen as the epicentres.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care daily situation report, nearly 20 districts had hospitals and clinics with cholera patients receiving their antibiotic treatment.

These cases would all have arisen over the previous few days.

“As of 01 January 2024, 247 cases are hospitalised: Chiredzi (30), Mwenezi (24), Chivi (9), Bikita (5), Gutu (2) in Masvingo Province; Buhera (10), Mutare Rural (20), Chipinge (37)and Chimanimani (6) in Manicaland Province; Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital (48) and Chitungwiza City (14) in Harare Province; Zvishavane (7) in Midlands Province; Murehwa (1) and UMP (1) in Mashonaland East Province; Mbire (7), Mazowe (16) and Centenary (1) in Mashonaland Central Province; Beitbridge (1) in Matabeleland South Province; and Kariba (5), Zvimba (1) and Hurungwe (2) in Mashonaland West Province,” the Ministry said.

On Monday, a total of 167 new suspected cholera cases and five suspected deaths were reported with 30 of the cases reported in Chiredzi, another 23 in Kuwadzana, 17 in Glenview, 17 in Chipinge, 14 at the Beatrice Road Infectious Disease Hospital, eight in Mutare, Mazowe (8), Mbire (7), Budiro (6), Rutsanana (6), Chitungwiza City (6), Chimanimani (5), Chivi (4), Bikita (3), Buhera (3), Kariba (2), Mwenezi (2), Highfield (2), UMP (1), Hurungwe (1) Chegutu (1) and Murehwa (1).

So far, 55 districts in the country have reported cases since the beginning of the outbreak in February last year.

Zimbabwe has recorded a cumulative 14 688 suspected cholera cases, 1 735 confirmed cases, 14 116 recoveries and 258 suspected deaths. The case fatality rate is currently at 2,2 percent, significantly higher than the World Health Organisation target of 1 percent.

The rational recovery rate now stands at 96 percent.