Moz issues diarrhoea high alert

2008-01-10 13:22

Maputo - Mozambique's ministry of health has issued a high alert in some of the country's districts, including the capital, after recent reports of cholera and diarrhoea, the daily Noticias has reported.

The Mavalane central hospital in Maputo currently registered between 50 and 60 patients on a daily basis for treatment of diarrhoea-related ailments.

High cases of diarrhoea had also been reported in Gaza, Tete, Cabo Delgado and Sofala provinces.

Authorities said the cases of diarrhoea were worsened by intense rains, which had fallen in some parts of the country since November.

The paper said while the ministry of health had issued a high alert on the diseases, there were no figures on the total number of people affected.

Each year, cholera cases were reported in flood prone Mozambique and hundreds of people were reportedly affected by the deadly disease.

So far, authorities estimated that more than 5 000 people had been affected by floods in central Mozambique since the beginning of the rainy season.

- SAPA