Cholera infections continue rising in Zimbabwe

Harare, Dec 21 (IANS) The cholera pandemic remains relentless in Zimbabwe with 2,519 suspected new cases having been recorded during the first 19 days of December, according to official statistics.

The latest cholera situation report issued by the Ministry of Health and Child Care on Wednesday said the total number of suspected cases since the latest outbreak in February had risen to 12,414 as of Tuesday, compared to 9,895 on November 30.

The number of confirmed cases had also risen by 149 to 1,533 and nine more confirmed deaths occurred, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths so far to 62, Xinhua news agency reported.

Harare Metropolitan Province, which comprises the capital of Harare, now leads in the total number of suspected cases with 5,408.

Celestino Dhenge, the President of the Infection Control Association of Zimbabwe Trust and provincial medical director for Mashonaland West Province, said on Tuesday that vaccination is one of the priority options to curb the spread of cholera.

"Vaccination is definitely a very important intervention that we need. We have not yet started rolling out the vaccine because it is not in abundant supply due to cholera outbreaks in other countries. But the Zimbabwean government has already indicated that there is a need to vaccinate the population, particularly those in hot spots," he added.