An outbreak of dysentry — believed to be caused by polluted water — has hit Harare and Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe’s Herald Online reported on Friday.
It said more than 200 cases had been reported in Mbare and at three residential blocks in Chitungwiza in the last few weeks.
Chitungwiza was enforcing a strict quarantine of its patients in a bid to prevent a further spread of dysentry.
Health officials believed polluted water was the most likely source of the outbreak.
In Chitungwiza, the sewerage system had been a cause of concern with streams of human waste flowing in the town since the beginning of this year.
Municipal officials were laying the blame on the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).
Chitungwiza General Hospital chief executive officer and renal specialist Obadiah Moyo confirmed on Thursday that the hospital was under pressure from an increased number of diarrhoeal patients.
”We have so far dealt with 43 cases from Chitungwiza alone in the last two months. In all cases the investigations we conducted showed we were dealing with dysentery,” Moyo said.
All patients diagnosed with dysentery had been quarantined and were receiving treatment to make them regain strength following acute dehydration.
Mbare recorded at least 80 cases a week in October. This had prompted the acting director of city health services Stanley Mungofa to notify the Health and Child Welfare Minister David Parirenyatwa, of the outbreak.
Mungofa reportedly appealed for government intervention in dealing with the problem after he told the minister that numerous tests of water samples taken from various points had indicated that the water was not adequately treated.
Mungofa’s deputy Edwin Muguti referred all enquiries to the minister, who could not be reached. – Sapa