By CLEVER ZULU AND JAMES KUNDA –

THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) has closed 30 schools in Kanyama Township following the outbreak of typhoid which has since claimed one life.
Meanwhile, Government has scaled up preventive measures to arrest the disease and ensure that it does not spread to other parts of Lusaka and the country at large.
Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease which spreads through contaminated food and water.
An 11-year-old girl was reported to have died at a named private school from the disease, leading to the closure of the institution.
Two other people have tested positive for the disease and are being treated in Lusaka.
The decision to close the schools comes barely 24 hours after the Ministry of Health announced that the water-borne disease had been brought under control after recording 36 cases in the densely-populated township.
LCC public relations manager Mulunda Habeenzu said in Lusaka yesterday that about 30 schools, both Government and private, had been shut because of unsanitary conditions.
Mr Habeenzu said this was in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20 of the Public Health Act Cap 295 of the Laws of Zambia.
Among the closed schools are Blue Bird School, Grace and World Wide Community schools, Bhungu Education Centre, Good Shepherd Community School, Titandize Community School and Membe Community School.
Others are Glory to Glory Community School, Gift Tech School, Silver Sand School, Sante Education Centre, Parles School, Ben Ten Day Care School, Remegel Academy, Faith Foundation Community School and Arise and Shine Day Care.
“Three schools in the same area have been warned. These are Legacy Academy, Malpher Education Centre and True Gospel Community schools,” he said.
The local authority has since urged members of the general public, schools and eating outlets, especially in the affected area, to take preventive measures by ensuring that they maintain good hygiene to avoid further outbreaks.
Meanwhile, Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya said in a separate interview yesterday that out of 36 typhoid cases reported, only three people tested positive of the disease.
“Owing to the status quo, we have intensified our approach towards fighting typhoid through a massive sensitisation campaign to enlighten the public in the affected area to consume clean and safe water,” he said.
Dr Chilufya said the Government was distributing free soap and chlorine to households in Kanyama.
“There has been no escalation in cases of typhoid from the initial 36 that we are talking about in the Township and we will not relent in the quest to ensure that the disease is permanently wiped out,” Dr Chilufya said.