Authorities at Kasama General Hospital have refuted claims that Cholera cases have been recorded in the district.
Acting Kasama District Health Director, Mwenda Wilombe said tests were carried out on the reported cases and they came out negative.
Meanwhile, a District Epidemic Preparedness Committee has been set up in Kasama following the Cholera outbreak in some parts of the country.
ZANIS reports that the objective of the committee is to review and share updates on disease surveillance to establish the way forward regarding the district preparedness on Cholera.
Addressing the meeting in the Council Chamber, Kasama District Commissioner(DC), Kelly Kashiwa urged the stakeholders to diligently contribute their resources and knowledge to protect the lives of people in the district.
The committee among other things agreed on routine water quality monitoring through inspections of water sources and bacteriological tests, inspection of public premises and community led sanitation.
After the meeting, Mr. Kashiwa led the team of stakeholders to inspect the Cholera facility Centre set up at the Zambia Army clinic and they were impressed with measures that have been put in place.
And he Katete District Health Office in Eastern province has dispelled social media claims of cholera outbreak in the district.
And Solwezi district health director Evans Tulisha says contrary to rumors by sections of society, the district has not recorded any Cholera case.
Katete District Health Director (DHD) Adamson Ndhlovu says the reported two cases on social media were not confirmed Cholera cases.
Dr Ndhlovu said in an interview that the two cases where subjected to laboratory tests and did not satisfy the required standard for presence of the Cholera bacteria.
“The stories going around on social media are not true, the case from Chibolya Compound, was a suspected case and not a confirmed case of Cholera. We did the tests of which the culture results were negative. The other case was a diarrhea case. The two patients are currently undergoing treatment,” he said.
Dr Ndhlovu also said the institution had carried out some water testing of the district of which Katete Boarding School had tested positive for contamination.
He said the results indicated for faecal coliforms of which adequate steps had been taken to prevent any waterborne diseases.
And authorities in the area have meanwhile confiscated some foods stuffs that were being sold on the streets to prevent any Cholera outbreak.
Dr Ndhlovu who disclosed this in the same interview further warned owners of restaurants and food places to adhere to the Public Health Act failure to which they risked being closed.
He urged the public to continue with good hygiene practices to enhance the fight against the disease.
Meanwhile , Solwezi district health director Evans Tulisha says contrary to rumors by sections of society, the district has not recorded any Cholera case.
Dr Tulisha said what was reported at Solwezi urban clinic over the weekend was a suspected case but that after examining the sample from the suspect, Cholera was ruled out.
He said weighbridge area where the suspect came from, Zambia and Kyawama compounds have a lot of diarrhea cases being recorded.
Dr Tulisha said during a stakeholders epidemic preparedness meeting today that there is need to heighten sanitation in the hotspot areas so as to combat any possible outbreak of the epidemic.
First Quantum Minerals,Kansanshi mine has pledged to help distribute 2000 bags of lime and 2000 by 24 bottles of chlorine.
First Quantum Minerals health advisor Gertrude Musunka said the lime and chlorine will be used to chlorinate water points and lime pit latrines in the communities aroundthe district.
Speaking at the same meeting, Solwezi town clerk Seke Mbulo said the local authority will continue collecting garbage and cleaning trading places.
Mr Mbulo said the local authority will also intensify random checks of restaurants, bars and supermarkets to screen food handlers and the environment in a bid to avert the possible outbreak of Cholera.
And stakeholders have unanimously resolved to set up disinfection stations at Solwezi airport and the check Point on the Solwezi Chingola road to disinfect public buses and passengers.
