60 people have been infected and at least one has died in a cholera epidemic on the outskirts of Zimbabwe's capital, the Herald newspaper reported, citing data from the Ministry of Health and Child Health.
An outbreak of the disease has been registered in the village of Mazue, north of Harare. The reason is the lack of water purification from the only artesian well and a spill of sewage water, which flooded open wells. The authorities are conducting preventive work among the local population and have organized a temporary center to provide assistance to the sick and promote personal hygiene rules. The issue of providing the population with safe drinking water is being resolved.
Cholera outbreaks in 2023 have been reported in several countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), most notably Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. Last February, an emergency summit of SADC heads of state and government decided to carry out mass vaccinations against cholera in the region and to strengthen sanitary controls at borders.
Russia has donated a batch of funds to fight cholera in Zimbabwe.