Cholera declines in Tanzania
2001-12-28 11:31
Dar Es Salaam - A cholera epidemic which broke out early last month in Tanzania's offshore island of Zanzibar and Pemba has eased, and until Thursday, there were only 14 patients admitted at health centres, officials said on Friday.
"The number of new cases has steadily declined... we now
receive between two and four cases daily," an official with the
department of preventive services in the Zanzibar ministry of
health said.
He said 24 people have died of cholera since November 9, but the
disease was now under control in some areas which had been hard-hit by the epidemic.
"All patients at Tumbatu Gomani camp have been discharged and
the temporary facility that was set up there is now closed," he
said, attributing the success to efforts by health officials in
their hygiene promotional campaign.
Zanzibar government authorities banned vending of food, juices
and fruit on stalls along the roads and open-air restaurants, as
well as prohibited feasting and festivals during Eid el-Fitr and
Christmas holidays. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA