5 die in suspected fresh cholera scare

FIVE people have died from a suspected fresh cholera outbreak in Mavhurume village in Murewa.

The deceased are members of the Johane Marange apostolic sect, who are barred from seeking medical attention on religious grounds.

In a letter seen by NewsDay dated January 8, Murewa district administrator Gumburayi Wadzvanya wrote to the provincial administrator Tarubarira Kutamahufa, confirming the suspected cholera cases.

"The Ministry of Health has received a report from the head of Nyamutumbu Primary School, Mr Magora, of probable cases of cholera in Mavhurume 2 village in ward 11 of Murewa district. It was reported that there were five people who had symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting who had died. Three of them died at Chitsidzo of Johane Marange apostolic sect in the village and two of them died at Murewa Hospital," the letter read.

"Murewa Hospital has since activated an emergency team, which was sent to assess the situation on the ground. The team, comprising representatives from the community nursing departments, laboratory departments and environment health departments, visited the village in question."

Last year, three members of another Johane Marange apostolic sect in Murewa died during a pilgrimage after contracting the deadly water-borne disease.
The church gathering was later banned after leaders of the sect barred health officials from accessing the shrine.

Kutamahufa yesterday said health experts had already been sent to the affected area.

"A team of experts has already been deployed into the affected area and we await confirmation from them to ascertain whether it is cholera or not.

However, I spoke to the acting provincial medical officer, who said some of the deceased are part of the three apostolic sect members who died last year," he said.