Cholera outbreak hits Chikwawa, 25 hospitalized
A cholera outbreak continues to hit hard areas around Nchalo in Chikwawa district as the number of infected people increases from 12 to 25.
Last week, there were reports that about twelve people were treated for suspected cholera cases at St Montfort Hospital in Nchalo.
According to Chikwawa District Health Office Spokesperson, Settie Piriminta, the outbreak has occurred because people from the villages of Sekeni and Allan in the area of Chief Lundu were drinking water from Nkombezi River which is contaminated.
“Lack of safe drinking water is the main factor which has caused the cholera outbreak at Sekeni and Allan Villages around Nchalo Trading Centre in the area of Chief Lundu,” said the PRO.
According to Piriminta, communities in the two areas have been fetching and drinking water from contaminated Nkombezi River because the villages have no functional boreholes and that in most cases when the boreholes start working they produce saline water.
“This forced people to drink water from the river which is also used for bathing and cleaning their household utensils. That aside, most communities in those areas do not have toilets and use the river to defecate consequently exposing themselves to water borne diseases,” added Piriminta.
Currently, the patients are receiving treatment at St Montfort Hospital where no cholera death has since been recorded.
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