Nkhatabay still Cholera hotspot

Cholera cases in Nkhata Bay continue to remain higher than elsewhere in the country with 1,286 incidents recorded since the onset of the outbreak.

This is according to a daily cholera update signed by Health Minister Khumbize Chiponda which shows that all of the country’s 29 districts have recorded cases whose cumulative total now stands at 8,111.

In the last 14 days, 26 districts including Nkhatabay, Blantyre, Nkhotakota, Chikwawa, Rumphi, Karonga, Balaka, Likoma, Neno, Mangochi, Lilongwe and Machinga have reported new or active cholera cases.

Other districts involved are Ntchisi, Mulanje, Salima, Ntcheu, Phalombe, Thyolo, Chitipa, Dowa, Zomba, Mchinji, Mzimba North, Rumphi, Mwanza and Dedza.

So far, at least 7,669 people have recovered, 201 others remain in treatment centres while 241 have died since the outbreak emerged in March.

Meanwhile, health authorities continue to attribute the rise in cases to poor hygiene practices.

They further lament the tendency by people to present late at the health facilities for treatment due to religious beliefs; a situation that is resulting in unnecessary loss of life.