Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
GWERU District has recorded a sharp increase in malaria cases this year, with health authorities confirming 21 infections and one death between January and June in what officials say is a worrying sign of local transmission in an area traditionally considered low risk.
The death occurred on May 22 at Shamrock Mine in Lower Gweru, which has since been designated a malaria hotspot requiring urgent intervention.
Health officials said the outbreak threatens Gweru’s status as a district in Zimbabwe’s malaria pre-elimination phase after investigations confirmed that none of the infected patients had travelled to malaria-endemic areas.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has intensified surveillance, case management and vector control measures in affected communities, focusing on Shamrock Mine and surrounding areas.
Health teams are conducting indoor residual spraying, distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets and carrying out awareness campaigns aimed at promoting early diagnosis and treatment.
Speaking during a recent Ministry of Health and Child Care stakeholders’ meeting on human papillomavirus and tetanus-diphtheria, Gweru District environmental health officer Ms Constance Gumbo described the rise in cases as alarming.
“The 21 cases are a cause for concern because they exceed what we usually record in an entire year. In the first six months alone, we have recorded more than double our usual annual figures,” she said.
Ms Gumbo said epidemiological investigations showed that all the infections were locally acquired.
“We are not supposed to be recording cases from people who have not travelled to malaria-endemic areas,” she said.
Ms Gumbo said entomology surveys had confirmed the presence of Anopheles mosquitoes, the vector responsible for transmitting malaria.
The outbreak marks a significant departure from Gweru’s historical trend, where some years recorded no malaria cases at all, while only seven cases were reported in the whole of last year.
Health officials are also concerned that several of the cases were asymptomatic, raising fears that the actual extent of transmission could be higher than currently recorded.
District health promotion officer Mr Lameck Govere said investigations had established that malaria-carrying mosquitoes were now present in the district.
“We used to believe Gweru was free of malaria, but that is no longer the case,” he said.
District medical officer Dr Kundai Guveya said health authorities would continue working with stakeholders to contain the outbreak, particularly in high-risk areas such as mining communities in Lower Gweru.
He said community cooperation would be crucial in ensuring the success of the interventions.
“In the past, some communities assumed we wanted to shut down mining operations. Our goal is to protect their health,” said Dr Guveya.
He said changing environmental conditions, increased human movement and mining activities could be contributing to the rise in malaria cases.
Dr Guveya said the Ministry of Health and Child Care would continue monitoring the situation closely and provide updates as intervention programmes progress.
He urged residents to take preventive measures such as sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, eliminating stagnant water around homes and seeking immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, chills and headaches.
