. Kasolo
By JULIUS PHIRI –
THIRTEEN cholera cases have been recorded in Lundazi and Sinda districts of Eastern Province claiming one life.
About 11 cases have been recorded in Lundazi with Sinda reporting two cases of the suspected disease forcing authorities to ban street vending of any kind and public gatherings.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo and acting Provincial Health Director Dr Jairos Mulambya confirmed the outbreak during the cholera update at a provincial epidemic preparedness meeting held in Chipata yesterday.
Mr Kasolo urged citizens to maintain personal hygiene as part of the preventive measures.
“Cholera is caused by dirt and we need to fight it from the hygiene perspective. So we should get rid all tuntembas that sell foodstuffs,”he said.
He said street vending has been banned in Eastern province until further notice to allow cleaning, garbage collection and unblocking of drainages.
“No large public gatherings of more than five people (except a family) including church programmes, wedding, music concerts, funeral, bars or such occasions shall take place in Eastern Province unless cleared by the ministry of health or local authority,” he said.
He said the district epidemic committee shall be meeting at 07:30 hours in readiness to update the provincial epidemic preparedness committee which shall be meeting at 09:00 hours for daily update.
Mr Kasolo has since directed the ministry of health and local authorities to station environmental health technicians at all main bus stops to educate and screen for any suspected diarrhoea or vomiting.
He said all members of the public were required to participate in the cleanup and maintain personal hygiene adding that members of the public were also urged to stop buying raw and ready to eat foods from the streets and markets in the affected areas.
And Dr Mulambya said Chipata was sandwiched with by Lilongwe and Lusaka where cases of Cholera have been recorded.
He urged the people to maintain the high level of personal hygiene for the prevention of Cholera.
