The Hwange Local Board has with immediate effect closed all unlicensed food preparation outlets and those operating from undesignated areas.

The move is necessitated by the need to fight a cholera outbreak which has been reported in Hwange urban.
The ban was announced by the Acting Town Secretary Paulus Mabhureni, who said the local authority has also banned church gatherings who operate without toilets.

“We have also banned all open –air church gatherings and all worship activities at premises without ablution facilities. Failure to provide ablution facilities poses a risk to open defecation leading to the spread of communicable diseases such as cholera,” he said.

Mabhureni has urged the public to exercise good hygiene practices.

“We urge members of the public to exercise good hygiene, which include thorough washing of hands after using the toilets as well as before handling or preparing food and drinking water from protected sources or boiling water before drinking. They must desist from buying food, fruits and vegetables from vendors at undesignated vending sites.

Residents are also advised to seek early treatment for suspected diarrhoeal illness.

Hwange district has since activated the Civil Protection Committees with concerns of outbreak of Cholera in Hwange.

Sources close to the committee revealed that the Cholera hotspot in Hwange is Number 3 residential area.

New Ziana