News / National
Typhoid resurfaces in Harare
03 Nov 2020 at 06:31hrs | Views
HARARE City Council yesterday confirmed four cases of typhoid amid fears grew that the numbers could be more because of a chronic water shortage in the capital.
The city has faced perennial water shortages that have left the over four million residents in the Greater Harare area in danger.
In confirming the typhoid cases, the city said: "Council wishes to inform residents of the presence of four confirmed positive typhoid cases which are already under treatment and responding positively.
"Three cases are children under seven and a 17-year-old who are all from Glen View 3."
Council said prevention and control measures for typhoid were synonymous with COVID-19 protocols, with just a few adjustments.
Typhoid is a bacterial infection that can lead to high fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting and health experts said it can be fatal.
The infection, experts said, is often passed on through contaminated food and drinking water, and it is more prevalent in places where handwashing is not frequently exercised.
Harare residents are at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases as the local authority is failing to provide potable water citing unavailability of chemicals.
Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant has on a number of occasions been forced to shut down, leaving suburbs dry while residents resort to shallow wells, most of them contaminated, for drinking water.
The city has faced perennial water shortages that have left the over four million residents in the Greater Harare area in danger.
In confirming the typhoid cases, the city said: "Council wishes to inform residents of the presence of four confirmed positive typhoid cases which are already under treatment and responding positively.
"Three cases are children under seven and a 17-year-old who are all from Glen View 3."
Council said prevention and control measures for typhoid were synonymous with COVID-19 protocols, with just a few adjustments.
Typhoid is a bacterial infection that can lead to high fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting and health experts said it can be fatal.
The infection, experts said, is often passed on through contaminated food and drinking water, and it is more prevalent in places where handwashing is not frequently exercised.
Harare residents are at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases as the local authority is failing to provide potable water citing unavailability of chemicals.
Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant has on a number of occasions been forced to shut down, leaving suburbs dry while residents resort to shallow wells, most of them contaminated, for drinking water.
Source - newsday
