News / National
Bulawayo registers 200 diarrhoea cases, one death
11 Feb 2025 at 09:30hrs | Views
The City of Bulawayo reported over 200 cases of diarrhoea and one related death as of December last year, according to the latest council disease surveillance report. The city has implemented intensified emergency response mechanisms to detect, monitor, and manage disease outbreaks effectively.
The report highlighted Bulawayo's heightened vigilance against 12 adverse health threats, including the ongoing cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries, typhoid, measles, food poisoning, mumps, chickenpox, COVID-19, and gastrointestinal (GIT) diseases.
"The city remains on high alert because of the following adverse events: Ebola in Congo, Marburg Virus in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea, the multi-country outbreak of mpox, wild poliovirus type 1 in Malawi and Mozambique, and cholera outbreaks across the region," the report stated.
Council also warned about the potential spread of mpox, citing its emergence in non-endemic countries, including Zimbabwe and neighboring South Africa.
In December, the council recorded 297 diarrhoea cases compared to 330 in November, along with one diarrhoea-related death. No cases of dysentery were reported during the period, an improvement from five cases in November.
Imported malaria cases rose to four from one in the previous month. Snake bites also saw an increase, with 15 cases reported in December compared to eight in November. Dog bites remained a serious concern, with 76 cases reported, up from 47 the previous month. Of these, 36% of the dogs were vaccinated, while 13% were confirmed unvaccinated.
"This is a serious public health concern that requires multi-sectoral collaboration to enhance dog control and bite prevention strategies," the report emphasized.
Acute malnutrition cases increased to 60 in December from 55 in November, while influenza cases decreased from 116 to 90 during the same period.
COVID-19 cases dropped significantly, with only one case reported in December compared to three the previous month. No cases of measles, cholera, or typhoid were recorded.
The city's health services director, Edwin Sibanda, noted that various activities to monitor and improve the community's health status were rolled out. These efforts aim to identify and address potential public health risks before they escalate.
"The increase in adverse conditions reported calls for the scaling up of early detection, rapid response within 24 hours, and timely containment of disease outbreaks within 14 days," the report said.
Council emphasized the importance of multi-sectoral interventions, sustained disease surveillance, and the ability to respond swiftly to suspected outbreaks. The report also called for 100% follow-up on suspected infectious disease cases and the identification of risk factors associated with COVID-19, cholera, and GIT diseases to recommend prevention and control measures.
Bulawayo's proactive stance highlights the critical need for continued vigilance and collaboration to safeguard public health amid evolving threats.
The report highlighted Bulawayo's heightened vigilance against 12 adverse health threats, including the ongoing cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe and neighboring countries, typhoid, measles, food poisoning, mumps, chickenpox, COVID-19, and gastrointestinal (GIT) diseases.
"The city remains on high alert because of the following adverse events: Ebola in Congo, Marburg Virus in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea, the multi-country outbreak of mpox, wild poliovirus type 1 in Malawi and Mozambique, and cholera outbreaks across the region," the report stated.
Council also warned about the potential spread of mpox, citing its emergence in non-endemic countries, including Zimbabwe and neighboring South Africa.
In December, the council recorded 297 diarrhoea cases compared to 330 in November, along with one diarrhoea-related death. No cases of dysentery were reported during the period, an improvement from five cases in November.
Imported malaria cases rose to four from one in the previous month. Snake bites also saw an increase, with 15 cases reported in December compared to eight in November. Dog bites remained a serious concern, with 76 cases reported, up from 47 the previous month. Of these, 36% of the dogs were vaccinated, while 13% were confirmed unvaccinated.
Acute malnutrition cases increased to 60 in December from 55 in November, while influenza cases decreased from 116 to 90 during the same period.
COVID-19 cases dropped significantly, with only one case reported in December compared to three the previous month. No cases of measles, cholera, or typhoid were recorded.
The city's health services director, Edwin Sibanda, noted that various activities to monitor and improve the community's health status were rolled out. These efforts aim to identify and address potential public health risks before they escalate.
"The increase in adverse conditions reported calls for the scaling up of early detection, rapid response within 24 hours, and timely containment of disease outbreaks within 14 days," the report said.
Council emphasized the importance of multi-sectoral interventions, sustained disease surveillance, and the ability to respond swiftly to suspected outbreaks. The report also called for 100% follow-up on suspected infectious disease cases and the identification of risk factors associated with COVID-19, cholera, and GIT diseases to recommend prevention and control measures.
Bulawayo's proactive stance highlights the critical need for continued vigilance and collaboration to safeguard public health amid evolving threats.
Source - newsday
