The province of Nampula, in northern Mozambique, recorded a total of 675 new cases of cholera in August, and is currently the place that raises the most concerns for the Mozambican health authorities, due to the level of transmission of the disease.
According to data from the National Directorate of Public Health, published on Monday 4 September by Lusa, 2936 cases of cholera and three deaths had been recorded in Nampula by 1 August. However, since 2 August, the number has risen to 3,611 cases and six deaths.
“The epidemic in Nampula is under control, but we still have some cases and the multisectoral teams are working to prevent new outbreaks in the city,” said Mozambique’s deputy health minister, Ilesh Jani.
Overall, from 14 September 2022 to date, 34,306 cases have been reported in the country, resulting in 144 deaths. The national lethality rate of the disease stands at 0.4% and 30 people remain hospitalised in health units.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by climate change in the world, a situation that aggravates the lack of infrastructure and services to prevent the disease.
Cholera is a disease that causes severe diarrhoea, which is treatable, but which can lead to death from dehydration if not tackled promptly. It is largely caused by the ingestion of contaminated food and water due to a lack of sanitation networks.
