Harare, (New Ziana) -About one hundred cases of cholera and one death has been recorded in Glendale, Mazowe district in Mashonaland Central province since the disease broke out in the area in December last year, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHC) has said.
MOHC Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini on Tuesday visited to area to assess the situation. In a statement, the Ministry said 5 000 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) have since been administered in an effort to contain the spread of the disease.
“The Deputy Minister Hon S.T. Kwidini in the company of Ministry officials and other stakeholders toured Glendale in Mazowe District, Mashonaland Central province following outbreak of cholera in the area on 21 December 2024,” it said.
“104 cases and one death has been recorded to date. Meanwhile, 5 000 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) have been administered.” It said the causes of the disease outbreak include erratic water supplies in the area, unattended burst sewer pipes and consumption of water from shallow wells.
In an effort to address the problem of water shortages in Glendale the National Aids Council (NAC) has pledged to drill 2 boreholes in the area and install 2X5 000-liter tanks at the Mazowe Flowers Compond, said the Ministry.
Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water. Cholera causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people.
Modern sewage and water treatment systems have virtually eliminated cholera in industrialized countries.
New Ziana