Cholera claims two lives in Karonga

Karonga District Council and other stakeholders working in health sector are in dilemma over the fast spreading of a cholera outbreak in the district where two people have died with a total of 41 registered cases in four weeks.

The district council and the stakeholders met Monday to discuss how they could contain the outbreak of the disease.

A report presented at the meeting by Karonga District Environmental Health Officer, Lewis Tukula indicated that about 23 villages have been affected in all the five traditional authorities.

“So far, we have registered two deaths and 41 cases within four weeks and most affected are females,” said Tukula.

Tukula said most of the cases have been registered within communities in fishing camps of Nyungwe, Ngala, and Phapa fishing camps.

“People in these areas do not have pit latrines and relieve themselves in the lake, yet they use the same lake as a source of water for consumption and other domestic uses. They do not use boreholes alleging that water drawn from the boreholes is salty, hence the outbreak,” said Tukula.

He therefore advised the general public to refrain from eating cold foods and practice hand-washing at the stipulated times such as after using a toilet, before and after eating any food, after changing napkins proper use of toilets which have drop hole covers.

District Commissioner for Karonga, Richard Hara said the district would form a taskforce to tour all fishing camps in the district and engage communities in the fight against the outbreak.

The DC commended the stakeholders for contributing towards initiatives such as, cholera public awareness campaigns and hygiene and sanitation promotion in a bid to contain the situation.