News / Local
Government battles typhoid
05 Jan 2017 at 04:24hrs | Views
Minister of Health and Child Care David Parirenyatwa has said Harare City Council has introduced a 24-hour refuse collection within the Central Business District in a bid to curb the spread of deadly typhoid disease.
"We have agreed to prohibit and stop the vending of food be it processed or unprocessed in undesignated areas in the City of Harare and other cities in Zimbabwe, to control the spread of typhoid and all people interested in vending should approach the City of Harare for appropriate allocation of vending space," he said on Wednesday.
"The City of Harare is instituting 24-hour refuse collection within the CBD and in other areas a 16 hour shift is to be carried out while a 12-hour shift will be done in some areas. They are also clearing drainages to allow free rain water to flow".
At least 2 160 suspected cases were reported countrywide this year with authorities confirming 77 cases and seven deaths as of December 18.
There are also fears that the outbreak that started in 2012 due to poor water, sanitation and hygiene could have claimed more lives that could have gone unreported because the disease is not easily diagnosed.
Typhoid usually occurs when water supplies serving large populations are contaminated by faecal matter. It is then spread by contaminated food and water or close contact with an infected person.
The illness can last for several weeks and even months undetected leading to death.
"We have agreed to prohibit and stop the vending of food be it processed or unprocessed in undesignated areas in the City of Harare and other cities in Zimbabwe, to control the spread of typhoid and all people interested in vending should approach the City of Harare for appropriate allocation of vending space," he said on Wednesday.
"The City of Harare is instituting 24-hour refuse collection within the CBD and in other areas a 16 hour shift is to be carried out while a 12-hour shift will be done in some areas. They are also clearing drainages to allow free rain water to flow".
At least 2 160 suspected cases were reported countrywide this year with authorities confirming 77 cases and seven deaths as of December 18.
There are also fears that the outbreak that started in 2012 due to poor water, sanitation and hygiene could have claimed more lives that could have gone unreported because the disease is not easily diagnosed.
Typhoid usually occurs when water supplies serving large populations are contaminated by faecal matter. It is then spread by contaminated food and water or close contact with an infected person.
The illness can last for several weeks and even months undetected leading to death.
Source - Byo24News
