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Cholera in Zimbabwe

13 Jun 2012

An outbreak of cholera has been reported from Chiredzi district in Masvingo province in the southeast of the country. The outbreak has been ongoing since last month (May 2012) and new cases continue to be reported.

The government has declared the outbreak a national priority in an attempt to contain the infection and avoid a repeat of the 2008, epidemic which resulted in the death of 4000 individuals.

The source of the outbreak has not been identified but has been attributed to poor hygiene standards. Sanitation coverage of the community stands at 24.5%.

Advice for Travellers

Travellers to outbreak areas who will be mixing closely with the local population and cannot ensure safe drinking water can be immunised against cholera. A high standard of food, water and personal hygiene should also be maintained.