Karonga cholera death toll rises to 7 as father and son die

A man and his son died of cholera Friday bringing death toll in Karonga District alone to seven as the spread of the disease continues to worsen.

Karonga District Hospital Environmental Health Officer, Lewis Tukula confirmed the deaths saying the two died in their shack at one of the fishing camps along the shores of Lake Malawi.

“It is very sad for one family to lose two of its members to cholera at the same time. May their souls rest in peace.

“Worse still, the bread winner of the family is gone and obviously the family will find it hard to make ends meet,” he said.

Since November last year, Karonga has registered 323 cases including the seven deaths out of the country’s recorded 693 cases and 17 deaths, making it  the district with the highest records.

Tukula said cholera situation in the district is getting worse each day and warned that if something serious is not done urgently many lives will be lost.

He observed that many people do not want to change their risky behaviour despite massive sensitization campaign by different stakeholders.

“The solution to the current cholera outbreak lies in the Karonga community itself. Karonga community must take responsibility. Local leadership, too, has to take a leading role in efforts to contain the outbreak,” Tukula said.

He said local leaders must make sure that their subjects have proper latrines and they use water from protected sources.

Recently, Group Village Head Malema told his subjects to leave the fishing camps if they do not have sanitation facilities such as toilets.

Malema said there are many people leaving in the fishing camps that do not have toilets and defecate in the lake.

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