LAST month the World Health Organization (WHO) said southern Africa was suffering the deadliest regional outbreak of cholera in at least a decade.
At the epicentre of the disaster were Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where cholera cases surged more than four-fold between 2022 and 2023. Over 1 600 deaths were reported in the three countries.
Already 2024 is threatening to be another devastating year for cholera in the region as warmer weather, and unusually heavy rains and storms have fuelled the disease’s spread. Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi have reported more than 13 000 cases so far this year.
Cholera bacteria are spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by the faeces of an infected person. Oral vaccines help contain outbreaks and limit the spread of the disease. But…
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Cape Times (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2024-03-14