The outbreak of Cholera which was only experienced on some Fishing camps of Mazabuka District has now spread to residential Townships in the area.
Mazabuka District Medical Officer Stephen Shanjalika says the disease has now spread to some parts of Mazabuka Township.
He told ZANIS in Mazabuka this morning that a Cholera case has been recorded in Hillside, a residential area within the heart of Mazabuka.
He said Mazabuka General Hospital this morning received a referral of a confirmed cholera case from Hillside Township.
However, Sources within the District have confirmed that Hillside area has had no water supply for the past four days due to a technical fault on SWASCO supply line.
Cholera broke out in Mazabuka District two days ago on five Fishing camps situated on the Lower Kafue River.
Two deaths and now 36 confirmed cases have been admitted and confined in two Cholera centres that have been established by health authorities in the District.
And according to Dr. Shanjanika, the 36 cholera patients that are still undergoing treatment are out of danger.
Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, is usually found in food or water contaminated by feces from a person with the infection. Common sources include:
Municipal water supplies
Ice made from municipal water
Foods and drinks sold by street vendors
Vegetables grown with water containing human wastes
Raw or undercooked fish and seafood caught in waters polluted with sewage
When a person consumes the contaminated food or water, the bacteria release a toxin in the intestines that produces severe diarrhea.
It is not likely you will catch cholera just from casual contact with an infected person.
It’s simple. Wash your hands, boil your water and cook your food thoroughly. Common sense!
Outbreak of cholera is a sure sign of a poor public health system and hygiene. It’s fire fighting.
Over 836 infections & this government is still saying that it’s under control. Oh I forgot, its global…
I urge Zambia Sugar Plc (Nakambala Estate) to come to the rescue of the people of Mazabuka and provide potable water using its ultra modern treatment plant as well as personnel who manage their water and health departments.
For a start a massive input in chlorine distribution in high density areas like Kabobola and Zambia Compound as well as water distribution could stem the tide of this killer disease. Also donate soap etc from your CSR budget.
I wonder where the secondary school teacher now MP is in all this probably drinking and posing in some pub shouting at the top of his voice ” I will resign as MP when HH loses in 2015″ or preparing to be foolish in parliament and shout ‘chi’ color’ and guise it as being tonga he meant ‘shikala panshi”
CHOLERA, SIMPLY MEANS POOR OR NO SANITATION SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY AND GROSS DIRTY AND FILTHY IN THE COUNTRY. ONCE UPON A TIME ZAMBIA USED TO BE A COUNTRY WITH CLEAN TOWNS AND CHOLERA USED TO BE HEARD PASSIVELY AS A DISEASE WHICH USED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ZAIRE (DR CONGO). AND MOST OF US WERE YOUNG BY THEN. NOW ZAMBIA IS ONE OF THE FILTHIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WITH NO SANITATION SYSTEMS TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT. THE SEWAGE SYSTEMS WHICH WHERE CONSTRUCTED BEFORE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER INDEPENDENCE COULD NOT BE MANAGED BY UNIP GOVT. THE UNIP GOVT DID NOT SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF SEWAGE SYSTEMS AND THEY STARTED NEGLECTING THEM AND EVENTUALLY DOING AWAY WITH THEM.
THE SEWAGE SYSTEM IS THE BEST OR AT LEAST ONE OF THE BEST INDUSTRIAL AND DOMESTIC SANITATION SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD AND ZAMBIA WAS ONE OF THE FEW COUNTRIES WHICH HAD SUCH A SYSTEM. ZAMBIANS NEVER APPRECIATED HOW PRIVILEGED THEY WERE TO HAVE THEM. SO, THIS WONDERFUL SYSTEM WAS GRADUALLY BEING TAKEN OVER BY SOAK-AWAY SYSTEMS AND PIT LATRINES. THESE SYSTEMS ARE NEVER CONTROLLED SO IN MOST CASES THEY EVEN CONTAMINATE THE PURIFIED UNDERGROUND WATER. WE ALL KNOW THAT ONCE CONTAMINATED, UNDERGROUND WATER IS IMPOSSIBLE (OR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE) TO DECONTAMINATE. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE COUNCILS IN ZAMBIA HAVE NO WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICIES FOR THE TOWNSHIPS AND THE CITIES THEMSELVES. PEOPLE SALE AND EAT IN REAL SH!T. THE ANSWER TO ENDING OF CHOLERA IS SIMPLY CLEANING UP TOWNS AND VILLAGES LIKE THEY DO IN…
THE ANSWER TO ENDING OF CHOLERA IS SIMPLY CLEANING UP TOWNS AND VILLAGES LIKE THEY DO IN BOTSWANA.
PROPER PLANNING OF CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES IS A MATTER OF URGENCY IN ZAMBIA. SEWAGE PIPES AND PIPED WATER SYSTEMS SHOULD BE INSTALLED WHEREVER THE CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE PLAN SAYS WILL EXTEND TO BEFORE HOUSES ARE CONSTRUCTED IN THOSE AREAS. THIS IS WHAT USED TO HAPPEN BEFORE UNIP SPENT ALL THE FUNDS ON PARTY PARTIES. LET’S GET BACK TO SEWAGE SYSTEMS. JUST IMAGINE TOWNS IN ZAMBIA WITH REAL MASSIVE WATER BODIES DON’T HAVE FLASHED TOILETS, NEITHER DO THEY HAVE PIPED WATER. HOW STUP1D CAN A COUNTRY’S CITY FATHERS AND PLANNERS TOGETHER WITH ENGINEERS CAN BE?