Tag Archives: Cholera outbreak

Health

Cholera emerges in five districts, Govt springs into action

Jones Gadama

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has confirmed 11 cholera cases in five districts, namely Kasungu, Neno, Lilongwe, Balaka, and Chitipa, with no reported deaths.

Minister of Health Madalitso Baloyi made the announcement during a media briefing in Lilongwe.

The government has swiftly responded to the outbreak, deploying rapid response teams to affected areas, strengthening disease surveillance, and promoting safe water and hygiene practices.

“We are working tirelessly to prevent further spread of the disease,” Baloyi assured.

The ministry is collaborating with SADC countries, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners to manage the situation.

WHO’s Dr Getrude Chapotera pledged the organization’s commitment to supporting the government in containing the outbreak.

The confirmed cases have triggered heightened vigilance, with health officials focusing on prevention and containment measures.

The public is urged to practice good hygiene and report any suspected cases.

Lifestyle

Cholera outbreak in Angola kills nearly 600 people

Maravi Post Reporter

Angola continues to fight its worst cholera outbreak in 20 years, with the disease spreading to 17 of the country’s 21 provinces since January. 

The outbreak has caused nearly 600 deaths and more than 18,000 cases as of early May, according to United Nations agencies. 

Angola’s Ministry of Health and its partners, including the World Health Organization, respond to the outbreak through case detection, deployment of rapid response teams and community engagement.

“We walk around with loudspeakers, urging people to do what they can to get rid of this evil”, said Health Promotion supervisor António Catunda.

The country has also launched a vaccination campaign in February, which has reached 1 million people. 

Despite thease measures, Angola has a case fatality rate of 3.2%, exceeding the 1% threshold used as an indicator for early and adequate treatment of cholera patients.

The situation is especially difficult for responders on the ground. “We’re tired of seeing deaths, we’re tired of seeing patients with these problems”, said Flávio Njinga, who works as a community development and health agent (Adeco).

“We also want to rest, and we can’t. Since 13 January, when we started battling cholera, we’ve been fighting it all the time. We want at least one day of rest, but we can’t rest. We are the rapid response team, and we won’t stop until this is over.” 

This outbreak is affecting people of all age groups, especially those under 20 years old.  

Angola’s last major cholera surge in 2006 killed over 2,700 people. The country has since faced periodic outbreaks, especially during the rainy season.

More than 178,000 cases of cholera have been confirmed throughout Eastern and Southern Africa between January 2024 and March 2025, with South Sudan and Angola facing the most severe outbreaks, according to UNICEF.

Source: Africanews

https://video.euronews.com/mp4/ED/14/64/90/00/ED_PYR_1464900_20250512062347.mp4
Health

Matours coach services aids Zingwanga health centre with medical supplies on Cholera

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Matours International Coach Services on Friday, January 13, 2023 donated medical supplies to Zingwangwa Health Centre in Blantyre towards containing Cholera outbreak.

he donated medical supplies including quantity IV fluids, IV Cannula, Choline, ORS, Giving sets, mopes and among others items

The donation is response to Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Cholera’s request from corporate world for support towards the pandemic.

Kampaundi handing over medical supplies to Zingwangwa health centre officials

Speaking after handover the items to the health facility, Matours Coaches SCR Associate, Bright Kampaundi said as business entity thought of helping health facility to contain Cholera outbreak.

Kampaundi emphases the need for corporate world to support towards eradication of the pandemic which has claimed about 773 lives as of January 12, 2023.

Zingwangwa Health Centre In-charge Rose Mzumara lauded the company for the timely donation saying will contain the outbreak.

Mzumara observes with the donation received pandemic cases will be eased.

She however disclosed that pandemic cases are declining saying that the facility has recorded five deaths with 287 cases that now is attending to 16 patients.

In its quest to Social Corporate Responsibility (SCR) while responding to Cholera outbreak, Matours International Coach Services on Friday, January 6 this year also donated medical supplies to Kawale Health Centre in the capital Lilongwe.

Health, Malawi

Malawi Govt goes flat out to contain Cholera out break

Maravi Post Reporter 1 Comment
Cholera outbreak in Nkhatabay’s Tukumbo area

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Government remains committed to end the current Cholera outbreak with the capacity to manage cholera cases in public health facilities.

Ministry of health, Publicist Adrian Chikumbe disclosed this to Maravipost in an interview on Thursday, December 29, 2022.

Chikumbe said considering the current burden their is need for more human resource as well as supplies.

“We are increasing our treatment entries so that cases don’t travel long distances to health facilities,” he said.

He added that in prevention they require a multisectoral approach and they are grateful that the cholera response has now attracted executive indulgence thru the PTF on COVID-19 which is now also overseeing the management and control of the cholera outbreak.

Chikumbe further said guidance and support from the PTF are now mobilizing support from various MDAs and organisations that could help in taming the current outbreak.

He said they are already administering cholera vaccine in districts with highest burden of the disease.

“We are engaging communities thru councils, the media, local as well as religious leaders with cholera prevention and control messages,” said Chikumbe.

He therefore urged the general public to adhere to Environmental hygiene and sanitation where every household needs to have a toilet to end cholera.

Health, Malawi

Poor sanitation, hygiene fueling Cholera cases rise

Maravi Post Reporter
Chiponda addressing the press on Cholera outbreaks

By Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Poor sanitation and hygiene in the country’s market are fueling cholera rise.

Currently, Malawi has registered 410 deaths with 14,039 cases.

Minister of health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda revealed this on Thursday, December 22, 2022 during face the press.

Chiponda said currently the country’s hospitals registered 383 hospitalised patients.

She urged the general public to stop consuming unclean food such as mangoes,maize and any other cooked food found in the markets

The minister said everyone has a responsibility to curb chorela by shunning away from behaviors that will cause the spread of the disease.

She has asked the minibus owners to have bins in their minibuses to control the spread of cholera.

Chiponda therefore called upon those in own private owned clinics to have a reserved place for cholera not referring all the cholera patients to government hospitals.

She also urged cities to learn from Lilongwe city council where they have banned the selling of cooked food.

The minister therefore called upon well wishers to assist in providing chlorine and other items related to the control of cholera spread.

On December 8, 2022 President Lazarus Chakwera declared cholera as public emergency and directed the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to take on additional responsibilities of coordinating and providing oversight on cholera control activities in the country to enable scaling up of cholera control activities by unlocking additional resources from government and partners for cholera control.

Malawi, Regional, Travel & Tourism

Cholera outbreak slows down cross-border tourism business

Maravi Post Reporter

Tourism sector in the country is feeling the pinch of the cholera outbreak in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) region as tourist numbers have dropped dramatically over the past two months.

Tourists, especially those who like cross-border tourism packages have been cancelling their bookings, according to director of tourism Isaac Katopola.

Most hit is a cross-border tourism package that includes Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
The four countries are struggling to contain the cholera outbreak.

Tourists prefer cross-border tourism packages where they combine their visit to several countries.

Katopola said although the scale of the attack is not widespread and is lower than that of Zambia and Tanzania, the tourism sector has been affected.

“Cholera outbreak in Tanzania and Zambia has indirectly affected Malawi as there is now general cancellation of cross border packages,” he said.

Nkhata Bay’s Kande Beach owner, Davie Burton said the outbreak has an impact on the sector mostly when international tourists get wind of the outbreak.

“Although we have not yet experienced any cancellations at the moment, we can foresee the implications, and we fear we might lose out [if the outbreak is not contained],” he said.

Malawi reported cholera outbreak in Karonga District which borders Tanzania in November last year. The outbreak later spread to other tourist destinations of Nkhata Bay and Salima.

So far, cholera has claimed four lives and 265 cases have been recorded.

Zambia reported cholera outbreak late last year and so far, 63 people have died. While Tanzania has reported 5 112 cases with 103 deaths recorded this month alone.