The year is not off to a good start for many in neighbouring countries.
As of 3 January 2024, 128 people in Zambia have died of Cholera since October 2023 with almost 4 000 cases confirmed since the start of the outbreak.
In their previous national update, 16 people had died and over 250 cases had been confirmed in just under 24 hours.
As a result of this, the closure of schools has been extended by three weeks from Monday 8 January to 29 January 2024.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean government has declared a state of emergency in Harare after recording about 250 cholera deaths last year.
The country has been battling the outbreak since February last year amid a lack of access to clean water. The disease has since spread to all 10 of the country’s provinces, recording over 200 deaths to date.
More than 7 000 people are suspected to have contracted the disease so far.
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The waterborne acute diarrhoeal disease is caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae, a deadly species of bacteria.
It is treated with an oral rehydration solution, to replace the fluids and salts lost to diarrhoea and vomiting.
Zimbabwean health experts have since likened this recent outbreak to the 2008 one which claimed thousands of lives.
Given the overwhelming surge of over 14 000 people crossing the South African border into Zimbabwe on 23 December 2023 and the rising cases of Cholera in the neighbouring country, authorities have been on high alert at the Beitbridge border in anticipation of a significant influx of Zimbabwean nations returning to South Africa.
Despite no record of Cholera cases in South Africa currently, the health department has raised an alarm of the disease.
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The department’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale says they are working with the Border Management Authority (BMA) to intensify health screening services and health education.
“We have intensified health screening services and health education at the land ports of entry to mitigate against the cross-border transmission of the disease. Thus, all we would like to urge all travellers returning from cholera-endemic areas including Zimbabwe to be vigilant of Cholera symptoms and cooperate with health officials and be transparent.”
“All suspected Cholera patients will be referred to the nearest health facilities for testing. Hand hygiene is one of the effective preventative and control measures against bacterial diseases like Cholera.”
To prevent Cholera, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has encouraged people to wash hands with soap and water frequently, drink only clean or boiled water, cook food thoroughly, practice proper disposal of water and seek medical help if they experience any diarrhea and vomiting.
