Accessibility links

Breaking News

As Cholera Subsides, Zimbabwe Urged To Upgrade Water, Health Systems


The incidence of new cholera cases in Zimbabwe has fallen to a very low level with only 28 new cases and one death reported in a World Health Organization update as of Wednesday.

On Tuesday there were just 15 new cases and no deaths reported,

At the height of the epidemic in February hundreds of new cases of cholera were reported on a daily basis with daily death counts of many scores of victims.

But experts are urging Harare to accelerate efforts to overhaul the state health system and restore water and sanitation systems to ensure the epidemic does not rebound.

Executive Director Itayi Rusike of the Community Working Group On Health told reporter Marvellous Mhlanga-Nyahuye that the cholera epidemic which has claimed more than 4,000 lives will return if its root causes are not fully addressed.

As of Wednesday, according to data published by the World Health Organization, 4,284 people had died of cholera in Zimbabwe since the epidemic started in August 2008. The cumulative total of cases was 98,333, a WHO online update stated.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...

XS
SM
MD
LG