Ministry of Health has warned Malawians travelling to some communities in the neighbouring Mozambique to exercise great caution and practices safe hygiene in the wake of cholera outbreak reports from that country.
In a statement released on Saturday, Chief of Health Services, Charles Mwansambo said the ministry has received reports of a cholera outbreak in Mozambican communities neighbouring Malawi such as Moatize in Tete.
Moatize is a popular destination township for shopping not only for people from neighbouring districts of Mwanza but also for thousands of businesspeople from across the country.
Mwansambo said as of Saturday, three people from Mozambique were reported to have been treated as cholera suspected cases at Gaga Health Centre situated in Chikwawa’s Changoima area.
“These patients tested positive to cholera using Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and the ministry is in the process of confirming the tests at the Community Health Sciences Laboratory in Lilongwe.
“The Chikwawa District Health Office is working together with their counterparts on the Mozambique side to control the problem, especially the area where these patients live in Mozambique. Mwanza District Health Office is also working with their counterparts in Mozambique to ensure that the disease is prevented from affecting travellers between the two countries,” Mwansambo said.
He also said all health workers and Port Health Officers in the country have been put on alert with increased surveillance of any diarrhoeal cases and the ministry is also distributing chlorine to the communities for water treatment.
“The ministry is doing everything possible to prevent any cholera outbreak that may arise from the visits to this area and also within the country. In Malawi, there has been no cholera case reported this rainy season,” he said.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium called “vibrio cholerae”.
The disease affects both children and adults and if left untreated, it can kill within hours.
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