Cholera kills 3 in Mberengwa

THE Midlands Province has been hit by a fresh cholera outbreak which has already claimed three lives in Chomubobo mining area in Mberengwa, while about 10 cases have been recorded since Tuesday.

The affected patients are quarantined at Mnene Mission Hospital.

Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Simon Nyadundu confirmed the outbreak saying the Ministry of Health and Child Care has since set up a cholera treatment camp in Chomubobo and another at Mnene Mission Hospital.

Dr Nyadundu said the first case was recorded on Tuesday and the number of the affected people had risen to nine as of Saturday morning.

“I can confirm that there has been a cholera outbreak in Mberengwa. Two people had died by Friday while another one died this morning (Saturday). We have tested the affected people and it has been confirmed that it is cholera. The affected people are admitted to Mnene Mission Hospital where we have set up a treatment camp. We are setting up another camp today (Saturday) in Chomubobo area,” he said.

Dr Nyadundu said the ministry is still to establish the source of the water-borne disease but preliminary investigations have indicated that the mining activities in the area could have been the source.

“Chomubobo is a mining area. As you are aware, there was a cholera outbreak in Mt Darwin in the mining area of Mukaradzi. These artisanal miners are very mobile and it could be a possibility that the cholera came from Mt Darwin.

The area, just like any gold panning area, has poor sanitation, unclean water sources. Some of the cases were recorded in surrounding communities,” he said.

Mberengwa North legislator, Cde Tafanana Zhou said they were working with local communities to ensure that the disease does not spread to other communities in the district.

“We are monitoring the situation in Chomubobo and we are making frantic efforts to combat the disease. We do not want it to spread to other communities or neighbouring districts. We want to urge people in Mberengwa to practice good hygiene and take precautionary measures,” he said.

There are also reported fresh cases of suspected cholera in Chiredzi. One person is reported to have died in a resettlement area in Chiredzi.