adminHerald Reporter
Diarrhoeal diseases and human anthrax remain the country’s major disease burden, with 15 diarrhoeal related deaths recorded and over 6 000 cases of both diseases treated throughout the country in the first week of this year.Although a majority of the cases were recorded in Manicaland province, high cases of diarrhoeal diseases were also recorded in Midlands, Mashonaland West, Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces.
The Health and Child Care ministry, in its weekly disease surveillance report said 13 people died from common diarrhoea, while three others died from dysentery. A further 4 966 people received treatment from common diarrhoea and 1 110 others were treated of dysentery.
Typhoid cases were also reported in Nyanga. Villagers from Makoni district were still receiving treatment after consuming carcasses of livestock infected with anthrax prior to the festive season.
Although the Makoni outbreak was contained, more cases of the disease were recorded in Gutu, Makoni, Chipinge and Buhera districts.
Epidemiology and disease director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Portia Manangazira said Government continues to encourage people to practice hygiene measures to prevent diarrhoeal diseases.
Dr Manangazira attributed the continuous increase of diarrhoeal diseases to unsafe water sources and inadequacy of the available water to communities.
“We encourage people to do water harvesting, which they treat thereafter at the point of use to prevent diarrhoeal diseases. We are hoping the rotavirus vaccine coming in very soon, will halve diarrhoeal diseases in children once it gets into use,” she said.
Online Reporter