After widespread flooding in Mozambique, death toll due to the outbreak of cholera epidemic has climbed to 28, said the government on Monday.
There are fears the outbreak is accelerating with the number of infections hitting 2,400 compared with 1,702 cases and 19 deaths reported last week.
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine and is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
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"We are particularly concerned by the (situation in the) city of Tete where we are seeing an upsurge in new cases with an average of 70 admissions per day," Benigna Matsinhe, a deputy director in the health ministry, told reporters.
Tete lies in northern Mozambique near the borders with Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Mozambique regularly suffers outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoea during its summer rainy season which runs between October and March.
![Containing Cholera: An Interview]( "Containing Cholera: An Interview")
Cholera, as we know, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The mode of transmission of the disease is by consuming contaminated water.
But heavy rains and floods that lashed the country between December and January, killing 158 people and affecting 170,000, have hastened the spread of cholera.
Some 650 schools were destroyed by the high waters, and authorities estimate $1.5 million (1.3 million euros) will be needed to rebuild classrooms in the hardest-hit Zambezia province alone.
Mozambique's deadliest floods were in 2000, when an estimated 800 people were killed.
Source: AFP
Mozambique regularly suffers outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoea during its summer rainy season which runs between October and March.
Containing Cholera: An Interview
Cholera, as we know, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The mode of transmission of the disease is by consuming contaminated water.
Advertisement
But heavy rains and floods that lashed the country between December and January, killing 158 people and affecting 170,000, have hastened the spread of cholera.
Some 650 schools were destroyed by the high waters, and authorities estimate $1.5 million (1.3 million euros) will be needed to rebuild classrooms in the hardest-hit Zambezia province alone.
Mozambique's deadliest floods were in 2000, when an estimated 800 people were killed.
Source: AFP
Quiz on Cholera
Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease that spreads as an epidemic and claims around one hundred thousand lives every year. Here's a quiz that tests how much you know about cholera!
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Antibiotics may be Beneficial in Moderate CholeraIn contrast to the WHO recommendations, some researchers advocate the use of antibiotics in moderate as well as severe cases of cholera. | Advertisement
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