Ministry of Health say twenty eight people died of cholera within 24 hours on Sunday, making it the highest number of cholera deaths to be recorded within a day since the first case of the disease was registered in March last year.
According to the Ministry of Health daily cholera updates, within the same 24 hours, 599 new cholera cases have been reported bringing the cumulative number of cases to 29, 364, while 1, 064 people are admitted.
Cholera ravages
The cumulative number of deaths is now at 960.
To control the outbreak, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has appealed to the public to adhere to preventive and containment measures, such as: use of safe water, frequent hand washing with soap and food hygiene.
She has also urged people to seek medical care when experiencing cholera signs and symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
In a related development, Balaka district environmental health officer Blessings Chitsime has described as unfortunate, the act of some villagers around Nandumbo health centre who damaged property at one of the institution’s staff and discharged all cholera patients at the health centre.
According to Chitsime, the villagers claimed that the health workers are fuelling cholera cases by injecting them with cholera contaminated syringes.
A team from the district’s council and other officials are expected in the area on a fact finding mission.
The angry villagers beat up one health worker and also destroyed his house.
The villagers said that they wanted all health workers to leave.
Meanwhile, the health centre has been closed indefinitely.
