Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Cholera has broken out in Lusaka with the first case being recorded in a three year-old girl of Mtendere.
Announcing the development, Health minster Sylvia Masebo has described the condition of the toddler who is currently admitted to Kalingalinga clinic as stable.
Ms Masebo says the toddler presented with severe acute diarrhea and vomiting before health workers investigated for cholera which has since been confirmed.
The Minister says teams including the Director General of the Zambia National Public Health Institute are on the ground conducting field investigations to identify the source and contain the disease.
Ms Masebo is appealing to citizens to keep vigil and maintain the highest hygiene standards in order to curb Cholera.
Meanwhile there has been an outbreak of bilharzia in Chirundu district with 99 cases being confirmed.
Announcing the development during the COVID-19 update today, Ms Masebo says On 7th April 2022, Chirundu District Health Office through Kapululira health centre responded to a report from Kapululira primary school indicating that 73 people were complaining of passing bloody urine in the age range of 7 to 15 years.
She says Twenty-six (26) new cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours bringing the total number of active cases to 99 with the people affected being in the age group of 6 to 16.
Ms Masebo says Eighty (80) pupils who are symptomatic and 179 who are asymptomatic have received treatment in the last 24 hours, while the District health team are investigating the source of infection and working to determine the risk factors.
Bilharzia affects about 4 million people annually in Zambia mostly childrenn.