Mozambique steps up war against cyclone-induced cholera

Agence France-Presse

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Mozambique steps up war against cyclone-induced cholera

AFP

A World Health Organization official says 9 cholera treatment centers are being set up around the central Sofala province, which bore the brunt of the cyclone

BEIRA, Mozambique – Mozambique was Thursday, March 28, scaling up efforts to fight a cholera outbreak, creating 9 centers and preparing a vaccination drive after the first 5 cases were confirmed in the cyclone-ravaged country.

A government health official said Wednesday, March 27, that 5 cases of cholera had been confirmed following the cyclone that killed at least 468 people and affected 1.85 million.

World Health Organization official David Wightwick told reporters in Beira that 9 cholera treatment centers were being set up around the central Sofala province, which bore the brunt of the cyclone that struck two weeks ago.

Experts have warned that the destruction of drinking water sources and lack of sanitation in overcrowded shelters in Mozambique could create breeding grounds for waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Government plans to roll out a mass vaccination campaign next Wednesday to stem the spread of the disease, which thrives in conditions of poor hygiene and causes acute diarrhea that can be fatal if untreated.

“There is a vaccination campaign which will start next week,” Wightwick said as the country awaits delivery of 900,000 doses of vaccines.

The vaccinations will protect the tens of thousands of survivors for 3 months.

“It buys us some time and it means we will probably have to do a further vaccination,” he said.

“The first objective is to control the outbreak,” he said, warning though that “there are other places that remain cut off.”

A cholera prevention publicity campaign has also been launched with messages conveyed on radio and using loudhailers across affected towns and villages.

Cyclone Idai smashed into Mozambique nearly two weeks ago, unleashing hurricane-force winds and heavy rains that flooded much of the center of the poor southern African country and then battered eastern Zimbabwe and Malawi.

UNICEF warned that there is “very little time to prevent the spread of opportunistic diseases.”

It warned in a statement that current conditions of “stagnant waters, lack of hygiene, decomposing bodies (and) overcrowding in temporary shelters” could lead to outbreaks of diarrhea, malaria and cholera, “to which children are especially vulnerable.”

“The lives of millions of children and families are on the line, and we urgently need to mount a rapid and effective humanitarian response,” said UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore as she launched a $122 million (108 million euro) appeal for the 3 affected neighboring countries.

“The massive scale of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Idai is becoming clearer by the day,” she said. – Rappler.com

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