Four out of seven districts in Eastern, Luapula provinces survive Cholera outbreak, govt says

Government has declared an end of the Cholera outbreak in four districts namely Mwansabombwe in Luapula province as well as Chipangali, Lusangazi and Vubwi in Eastern Province out of the reported seven districts.

Zambia declared a cholera outbreak on January 21, 2023, which started in Vubwi district and affected another seven that included Chipata, Chipangali and Lusangazi districts in Eastern province.

Others are Mwansabombwe and Nchelenge districts in Luapula Province and Nsama and Mpulungu districts in Northern Province, which resulted in the country to record a cumulative 319 cases and eight deaths.

Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo told Journalists in Lusaka on Thursday that Vubwi, Mwansabombwe, Lusangazi and Chipangali districts have not recorded any new cases of cholera for more than 15 days.

Masebo explained that the declaration of an end to the outbreak in the four districts is in line with the national cholera control guidelines and the Global Task Force on Cholera Control guidelines.

“I am pleased to report that Chipata district is also showing positive signs of control having gone seven days of zero reporting of new cases. We remain hopeful that the situation in Nchelenge and Nsama district which continue to report cases will soon resolve especially with the increased multi-sectoral interventions,” she said.

Masebo is hopeful that the situation in Nchelenge and Nsama district which continue to report cases will soon resolve especially with the increased multi-sectoral interventions.

She said Mpulungu is the latest district to record confirmed cholera cases, saying this is among two patients from the same household.

“They had presented with severe diarrhoea, vomiting and body weakness. The patients are from Kafukula village under Kaizya rural health Centre catchment area. These two have a history of travel to Nsama district which has an active outbreak,” Masebo said.

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