After weeks with no new reported cases of cholera in Zimbabwe the water-borne disease has cropped up again in Musikavanhu constituency in eastern Manicaland province with 12 people taken ill, the Ministry of Health confirmed saying it is investigating the cause.
The new cases underscored the need for caution by Zimbabweans as urged by local officials and international relief organizations pointing to the risk of a new round of cholera once the rainy season gets under way around October, possibly contaminating water supplies as infectious human waste products are washed into exposed water sources.
Cholera ravaged Zimbabwe between August 2008 and May of this year, claiming more than 4,000 lives with close to 100,000 cases reported.
But Health Minister Henry Madzorera told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that Zimbabweans should not be unduly concerned about the new cases of cholera as the country is now better prepared to deal with outbreaks.
Musikavanhu Member of Parliament Prosper Mutseyami of the Tsvangirai MDC formation charged, however, that the government tried to keep the outbreak secret – though the legislator acknowledged that the situation is now under control.
Dr. Madzorera responded that the Ministry of Health had to wait for test results to make sure it was dealing with cholera in the 12 reported cases.
