Typhoid outbreak hits Harare city

Harare City Council has dispatched teams of medical experts to investigate the magnitude of typhoid cases and curtail a further spread following confirmation of several incidents, amid fears of a major outbreak.

Harare City Health director Prosper Chonzi said since last Friday they had confirmed three cases in Glen Norah, two in Hopley and one in Hatfield.

Chonzi said Hopley was a cause for concern because of its proximity to Mbudzi roundabout where people prepare food and sell fruits under unhygienic conditions.

He urged residents to continue basic hygiene practices such as washing hands before meals, eating food while it is still hot and treating all domestic water at point of use considering warnings of heavy rainfall in the city.

He appealed to people exhibiting diarrhoeal symptoms to seek treatment early, not only for their own good but also to prevent the spread of the disease.