Cholera reported in Mwanza
Mwanza District Hospital says it has recorded a suspected cholera case.
In an interview on Tuesday, Mwanza district environmental health officer Blessings Chitsime said rapid tests conducted on Monday on the patient, a Malawian based in Mozambique, came out positive.
“Samples have already been sent to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital [QECH] in Blantyre for confirmation,” he said.
Chitsime suspects the affected person drunk contaminated water from a river in Mozambique.
He said that the health facility in Tete was notified of the development through Moatize District Hospital.
The cholera incident is coming at a time Mwanza District Health Office (DHO) has enhanced sanitation promotion initiatives in public places through activities such as community awareness meetings.
In May this year, a cholera outbreak status report for Mwanza District presented during an emergency meeting on health issues between delegates from Moatize and Mwanza district councils in Mwanza indicated that Mwanza DHO managed to contain the disease in the last four years.
The report said that out of 12 cholera cases diagnosed and treated at Mwanza District Hospital in 2018 and early 2019, 50 percent of the patients contracted the disease in Mozambique.
