Zimbabwe: Diarrhoea, Malaria Cases On the Rise
OVER 100 people have died of common diarrhoea
and malaria since the beginning of the rainy season while about 200 000
others have been treated of the diseases to date. According to a weekly
report on
disease surveillance produced by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, in week ending March 11 2012, 47 people had died of common diarrhoea while 80 566 were treated of the disease.
Since the beginning of the rainy season, 53 malaria deaths were recorded while 78 751 others were treated countrywide.
The public health report also noted that in the same week, the country had recorded four malaria deaths and three from common diarrhoea.
During the same week, a total of 11 754 malaria cases were treated while common diarrhoea affected 8 057.
National malaria focal person in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Dr Stanford Mashaire described the malaria figures as "seasonal increases" triggered by the rainy season.
According to research, mosquito breeds in water which collects in ponds, potholes, dugout pits, footprints and stagnant water along streams, lakes and rivers.
This makes malaria transmission peak during and after the rainy seasons as such breeding places increases.
For diarrhoea, the ministry is on record saying of late cases are trebling affecting mostly children under five years of age who accounts for 60 percent of the cases.
In Zimbabwe malaria cases start to rise in February and peak between April and May.
Diarrhoeal cases also peak during rainy season owing to increased growth of bacteria as a result of the increased level of humidity.
Provinces recording the highest number of both diarrhoea and malaria are Mashonaland Central and Manicaland.
According to the report, no cases of cholera were reported since the beginning of the year.
Other public health diseases being recorded in the country at the moment include typhoid, dysentery and influenza.
The diseases have so far claimed no lives but during week ending March 11 a total of 3 393 influenza cases were recorded.
Dysentery has also seen 906 people treated of the disease during the same week while 3 943 cases of typhoid were recorded since October.
disease surveillance produced by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, in week ending March 11 2012, 47 people had died of common diarrhoea while 80 566 were treated of the disease.
Since the beginning of the rainy season, 53 malaria deaths were recorded while 78 751 others were treated countrywide.
The public health report also noted that in the same week, the country had recorded four malaria deaths and three from common diarrhoea.
During the same week, a total of 11 754 malaria cases were treated while common diarrhoea affected 8 057.
National malaria focal person in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Dr Stanford Mashaire described the malaria figures as "seasonal increases" triggered by the rainy season.
According to research, mosquito breeds in water which collects in ponds, potholes, dugout pits, footprints and stagnant water along streams, lakes and rivers.
This makes malaria transmission peak during and after the rainy seasons as such breeding places increases.
For diarrhoea, the ministry is on record saying of late cases are trebling affecting mostly children under five years of age who accounts for 60 percent of the cases.
In Zimbabwe malaria cases start to rise in February and peak between April and May.
Diarrhoeal cases also peak during rainy season owing to increased growth of bacteria as a result of the increased level of humidity.
Provinces recording the highest number of both diarrhoea and malaria are Mashonaland Central and Manicaland.
According to the report, no cases of cholera were reported since the beginning of the year.
Other public health diseases being recorded in the country at the moment include typhoid, dysentery and influenza.
The diseases have so far claimed no lives but during week ending March 11 a total of 3 393 influenza cases were recorded.
Dysentery has also seen 906 people treated of the disease during the same week while 3 943 cases of typhoid were recorded since October.
