BLANTYRE, Malawi (Reuters) – Malawi has delayed the opening of public schools within the southern African country’s two major cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe, the health minister said Monday, to attempt to decelerate a surge in cholera deaths.
The full variety of cases and deaths has accelerated to 17,824 and 595 respectively since cases were first reported in March, with the mortality rate increasing to three.34 per cent, in keeping with the Health Ministry.
Cholera is an annual problem during Malawi’s rainy months from November to March, where the variety of deaths is around 100 a 12 months. But the present outbreak is expcted to be the worst yet.
“Attributable to the continuing increase of cholera cases and deaths within the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe, primary and secondary schools within the two cities won’t start on third January as earlier advised,” Health Minister Khumbize Chiponda said in a press release.
A recent reopening date can be announced later, she said.
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The U.N. health agency says fatality rates are rising in about 30 countries around the globe that reported cholera outbreaks in 2022, a couple of third higher than in a typical 12 months.
Cholera is spread by contaminated food or water and could cause acute diarrhoea. Many individuals have mild symptoms but it may possibly kill inside hours if untreated.
Victims in Malawi include medics at public health centres.
Chiponda called on authorities to tighten control measures, including spraying chlorine to disinfect congested places equivalent to markets and schools and stepping up inoculations.
(Reporting by Frank Phiri; Editing by Promit Mukherjee and Nick Macfie)
Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.
