The Ministry of Health says Cholera has been reported in ten districts in the country over the past 14 days.
Minister of Health Honorable Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the districts are Nsanje, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Rumphi, Mzimba North, Machinga, Karonga and Balaka.
As of 1st September 2022, a total of 62 new cases were recorded and four new deaths were reported.
A total of 15 districts have reported Cholera cases since the confirmation of the first case this year in March in Machinga district.
The outbreak has been controlled in five districts. The cumulative number of cases and deaths reported since the onset of the outbreak is 1,862 and 72 respectively, with Case Fatality Rate at 3.9%.
A total of 1,693 people have recovered and 97 are currently in the treatment centres. Of the 15 affected districts, Blantyre reported most of the cases (530 with 21 deaths) followed by Nkhata Bay (524 cases and 16 deaths), and Nsanje (291 cases and 14 deaths), Nkhotakota (159 cases and seven deaths), Chikwawa (133 cases and one death), and Neno (127 cases and two deaths).
Most of the deaths occurred while in the communities or at health facilities after presenting at the facilities late for treatment, according to Chiponda.
She added that the major factors associated with the cholera outbreak in the communities are poor food hygiene, lack of safe water and low latrines coverage and usage (open defecation).
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has refuted reports that there are positive Cholera cases in Lilongwe district.
“Lilongwe did register a positive case on 13th June 2022, which the District Health Office managed and controlled successfully. Since then the district has not registered another case,” Chiponda said.
The Minister has since reminded everyone in the country to go to the hospital early if they develop diarrhea or if they are suffering from any other disease. She said medical supplies for treatment of cholera are available in all health facilities in the country.
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