The Zimbabwean government has begun regulating public gatherings and food sellers, while observing burials in all region affected by cholera, after cases of the disease increased this week.
New cholera cases in the southern African country spiked from 437 to 1,259 this week, the highest jump since the latest outbreak of the water-borne disease began in February.
This update has caused panic in Zimbabwe, where over 4,000 people perished from cholera in 2008.
At present, the country has recorded 155 deaths attributed to cholera from 8,787 cases, according to the health ministry reports.
Note that the authorities had last week, announced a state of emergency in the capital city, Harare, which so far has the largest number of new infections.
On Friday, November 24, residents in Harare’s low-income Kuwadzana suburb, where seven of the capital’s 13 cholera deaths were reported to have come from have complained about inconsistent supplies of clean water, uncollected garbage and unfiltered sewage flowing in the streets.
A lot of residents have had to dig shallow wells to meet their household water needs.
Meanwhile, Harare’s municipal authorities have been dispensing water treatment tablets to residents as part of its efforts to curb and eradicate the diarrhoeal disease.
