Mozambique: Number of cholera deaths since cyclone rises to eight – government

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Mozambique: Number of cholera deaths since cyclone rises to eight – government

3:31 CAT | 12 Apr 2019

Photo: Lusa

The number of deaths from cholera in Mozambique since Cyclone Idai devastated the centre of the country has risen to eight, the government announced on Thursday.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, between 27 March and 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, eight deaths from cholera were recorded, half of them in Beira district, the one worst affected by the cyclone.

The others were in Dondo and Nhamatanda districts, in each of which two deaths from cholera were recorded.

In Beira, 3,385 out of a total of 3,407 cholera patients have already been discharged from health units.

The campaign to vaccinate people against cholera, which ran from 3 to 9 April in the city of Beira and in the districts of Dondo, Nhamatanda and Buzi, achieved 98.6% coverage with 803,125 people vaccinated, exceeding the 80% goal laid down by the World Health Organisation for an outbreak situation.

The vaccine creates immunity approximately one week after it has been taken and stops transmission via the gastrointestinal tract.

Cholera is a treatable disease, but causes severe diarrhoea and can result in death by dehydration if it is not addressed in time. It is most commonly contracted by ingesting contaminated food and water.

Source: Lusa