At least 52 people have been taken ill with cholera in Tanzania’s commercial capital this month amid a drought that is plaguing East Africa, officials and health workers said on Tuesday.
“Although nobody has died so far, it is worrisome that we are getting new cases almost daily despite mass health education programmes,” said Dar es Salaam City Council spokesperson Gaston Makwembe.
In a bid to prevent the spread of the potentially fatal disease, health officials have urged residents of the city of about four million to adhere to strict hygiene rules, including boiling their drinking water and frequently washing their hands.
Makwembe said authorities suspected the outbreak was due to a severe water shortage that has gripped the city in recent weeks, forcing people to collect water from ponds and other unsafe sources.
“Taps in many parts of the city are now dry,” he said. “People buy water from vendors, some of them draw water from ponds and other dangerous sources. Unfortunately some people drink or use the water unboiled for washing utensils.”
A highly contagious and potentially fatal disease, cholera thrives in conditions of poor hygiene and inadequate water supplies. It is generally caused by using dirty water for drinking and cooking. – AFP