adminTanaka Nyambo
HARARE City Council says it has recorded 49 cases of cholera across 10 suburbs.
The outbreak has left Glen View 3 as the disease’s epicentre.
Council spokesperson, Innocent Ruwende, said the area is believed to have blocked sewer pipes that may be contributing to the spread of the disease, although some cases have no clear links.
Ten of the cases are in Budiriro, one from Dzivarasekwa, 27 from Glen View, two from Mt Pleasant Heights.
Two are from Mbare, one from Waterfalls, two from Rugare, one from Westgate, one from Crowborough and one with no documented address.
“Glen View 3 suburb is now the epicentre of the outbreak.
“The index case in Glen view 3 is a 26-year-old man, who stays with three people.
“He had no history of travel to cholera-hit areas in Zimbabwe or the region.
“Their main source of water is a well at their stand.
“Glen View 3 and Budiriro 1 cases are not epidemiologically linked, but Dzivaresekwa and Mt Pleasant are epidemiologically linked.”
He also raised concerns over a shortage of nurses to attend to those afflicted by cholera and fears that Council will be unable to cope if the outbreak worsens.
“Our nursing capacity is currently at 48 percent.
“If we are to experience a huge outbreak of cholera, the staff complement we currently have will not be able to cope and we are engaging our partners and uniformed forces to address this gap.
“MSF has so far provided one nurse who is very active in coordinating case management activities.”
He said most of their clinicians are inexperienced in management of cholera and they need continuous training.
Ruwende encouraged residents to use safe water sources and to practice hygiene.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter