/ 3 March 1999

CHOLERA DEATH TOLL OVER 1000

MOZAMBICAN health authorities said on Wednesday that 45 people have died of cholera and 2900 others were diagnosed with the water-borne disease over the past week. The latest fatalities bring to 1711 the number of Mozambicans killed by cholera since it struck in September last year. National deputy health director, Avertino Barreto, said the government was confident its rural water purification drive would start bringing the number of new infections down. However, the government is concerned by villagers in the central provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado who are stoning or assaulting health workers while they chlorinate water sources. Villagers accuse the health workers of contaminating the water.