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Malaria claims 2 in Mabvuku
Herald Reporters
Two people in Mabvuku have died of malaria while two others from the same area have succumbed to suspected infective diarrhoea.
City Health director Dr Prosper Chonzi yesterday confirmed the deaths and said they had since dispatched a team to investigate the cases.
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has also been informed.
Dr Chonzi said the malaria was most likely contracted outside Harare, adding: "We are still investigating, but we think the victims failed to notify health officials on time."
On the suspected infective diarrhoea, Dr Chonzi said they were referring patients to Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital.
"For now we are covering the patients with antibiotics, but we are urging them to alert health officials early to avoid loss of life," Dr Chonzi said.
Cholera and measles cases continue to increase countrywide though no new instances of swine flu and anthrax have been reported in the past week.
Twenty more cases of severe diarrhoea were reported in Masvingo of which, seven have been confirmed to be cholera.
Of the 134 suspected measles cases reported in the same week, 14 have tested positive.
In response to the raging outbreaks, Government and its partners continue with surveillance and assessment programmes.
In relation to measles, senior health officials have adopted the World Health Organisation?s rapid assessment survey tool for use in affected districts following observations that there were gaps in information available at national level.
The resolution was reached last week during an extraordinary health cluster meeting to co-ordinate containment of measles that has so far claimed 110 lives, mainly among children who were never immunised before.
Health officials agreed on the composition of the assessment team and that all data should be forwarded to the national Cholera Control and Command Centre.
Latest statistics indicate that of the 110 measles deaths, 107 people died at home.
Districts that reported the highest death tolls were Buhera (28), Makoni (24), Gokwe North (18), Mutare (15), Bindura (10) and Bikita (9).
Chegutu and Nyanga reported two and one death respectively. According to the command centre, 83 percent of the cases were in people above the routine immunisation age of between nine and 12 months.
In relation to cholera, seven of Zimbabwe?s 62 districts were affected since February 4 this year compared to 54 districts at the same time last year.
Government has so far recorded 77 suspected cholera cases, 15 of which were confirmed and one death reported as of February 24.
"All of the cases currently reported are from rural areas. In comparison, during the corresponding week in 2009, 42 percent of the cases came from urban areas and 58 percent from rural areas," reads part of the command centre?s bulletin.
This year, 16 anthrax cases and two deaths were reported with both fatalities occurring in Chirumhanzu.
Zimbabwe is now in its 11th week without reporting any swine flu cases.
Herald Reporters
Two people in Mabvuku have died of malaria while two others from the same area have succumbed to suspected infective diarrhoea.
City Health director Dr Prosper Chonzi yesterday confirmed the deaths and said they had since dispatched a team to investigate the cases.
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has also been informed.
Dr Chonzi said the malaria was most likely contracted outside Harare, adding: "We are still investigating, but we think the victims failed to notify health officials on time."
On the suspected infective diarrhoea, Dr Chonzi said they were referring patients to Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital.
"For now we are covering the patients with antibiotics, but we are urging them to alert health officials early to avoid loss of life," Dr Chonzi said.
Cholera and measles cases continue to increase countrywide though no new instances of swine flu and anthrax have been reported in the past week.
Twenty more cases of severe diarrhoea were reported in Masvingo of which, seven have been confirmed to be cholera.
Of the 134 suspected measles cases reported in the same week, 14 have tested positive.
In response to the raging outbreaks, Government and its partners continue with surveillance and assessment programmes.
In relation to measles, senior health officials have adopted the World Health Organisation?s rapid assessment survey tool for use in affected districts following observations that there were gaps in information available at national level.
The resolution was reached last week during an extraordinary health cluster meeting to co-ordinate containment of measles that has so far claimed 110 lives, mainly among children who were never immunised before.
Health officials agreed on the composition of the assessment team and that all data should be forwarded to the national Cholera Control and Command Centre.
Latest statistics indicate that of the 110 measles deaths, 107 people died at home.
Districts that reported the highest death tolls were Buhera (28), Makoni (24), Gokwe North (18), Mutare (15), Bindura (10) and Bikita (9).
Chegutu and Nyanga reported two and one death respectively. According to the command centre, 83 percent of the cases were in people above the routine immunisation age of between nine and 12 months.
In relation to cholera, seven of Zimbabwe?s 62 districts were affected since February 4 this year compared to 54 districts at the same time last year.
Government has so far recorded 77 suspected cholera cases, 15 of which were confirmed and one death reported as of February 24.
"All of the cases currently reported are from rural areas. In comparison, during the corresponding week in 2009, 42 percent of the cases came from urban areas and 58 percent from rural areas," reads part of the command centre?s bulletin.
This year, 16 anthrax cases and two deaths were reported with both fatalities occurring in Chirumhanzu.
Zimbabwe is now in its 11th week without reporting any swine flu cases.
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