Zimbabwe has declared a state of emergency in Harare over a cholera outbreak that has killed dozens of people, with more than 7 000 suspected cases.
Health authorities are struggling to contain the high number of hospital admissions, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), which cites a lack of health workers to manage the cases, as well as lack of supplies to stop the transmission.
BBC News reports that the country has been battling the deadly cholera outbreak in recent months amid a lack of access to clean water.
In 2008, a cholera outbreak killed more than 4 000 people, with at least 100 000 being infected, leading to paralysis of basic services.
In 2018, the country declared a state of emergency after 20 deaths and more than 2 000 cases related to typhoid and cholera were reported.
Last week, the Ministry of Health announced that the country had recorded 7 398 suspected cases, with 50 confirmed deaths, and 109 people in hospital.
The IFRC says the disease is spreading fast, affecting multiple geographical areas in 45 out of 62 districts and in all 10 provinces.
It expects the outbreak to cross the borders.
BBC News article – Zimbabwe declares state of emergency in Harare over cholera (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Zimbabwe cholera outbreak worsens
100 dead as cholera rages through Zimbabwe
Anger over crowdfunding to fight cholera in Zimbabwe