Reuters AlertNet Lite - TANZANIA: Zanzibar cholera outbreak contained

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

TANZANIA: Zanzibar cholera outbreak contained

12 Feb 2007 14:46:05 GMT
Source: IRIN

STONE TOWN, 12 February (IRIN) - Health authorities in Tanzania's semi-autonomous island of Zanzibar have lifted a ban on the sale of fresh food after bringing cholera under control, a government official said.

"We have had no patient for the last 14 days," Sultan Mohamed Mugheiry, the minister for health and social welfare, said in Stone Town, capital of the island. "Petty traders can now sell their fresh food on the streets, but must observe health precautions."

Zanzibar authorities had banned vending of food, juices and fruit on stalls along roads and in open-air restaurants, and had also prohibited feasting at festivals, in a bid to control the disease, which broke out in November 2006.

Cholera is a bacterial intestinal infection, transmitted through contaminated food and water. It has a short incubation period, from one to five days, with the main symptom being diarrhoea, which quickly leads to severe dehydration and death if untreated.

Mugheiry said the government had also closed all temporary treatment centres for cholera patients because the outbreak was under control.

Zanzibar, with a population of one million, has been repeatedly hit by cholera epidemics since 1998. In 2006, cholera killed at least 50 people in Unguja and Pemba, the two islands that make up Zanzibar.

The director of information in the health ministry, Omar Suleiman, said 35 people had died of cholera in the latest outbreak, which had affected at least 100 people in the last three months. He blamed the outbreak on poor public hygiene and lack of precautions such as boiling drinking water.

In 2006, health authorities in Zanzibar introduced a system of fining members of the public who failed to observe health hygiene and, so far, at least 80 people had been fined.

"We are determined to ensure that the health laws in the city are implemented," Juma Rajab, an official with the department of preventive services, said.

He said those found guilty had been fined between US$25 and $50, and risked six months' imprisonment if charged again.

yi/lo/mw

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Topics

• Cholera

MORE >>

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Tanzania profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• IMC Fights Possible Cholera Outbreak
IMC - USA

• Southern Africa: International Federation boosts response to help flood and cholera victims
IFRC - Switzerland

• People worried despite stable situation in Sudan hotspots
SOS-Kinderdorf International

• WV responds to Huambo cholera outbreak
WV - International

• southern Sudan: Medair sends an emergency water team to help prevent an outbreak of cholera.
Medair - Switzerland

MORE >>

Latest news

• TANZANIA: Zanzibar cholera outbreak contained

• TANZANIA: Concern among pastoralists as viral fever spreads

• Somalia health workers tackle diarrhoea outbreak

• Disease fears rise in Indonesia's flood-hit capital

• Diplomats push reconciliation, peace force in Somalia

MORE >>

Last updated:Mon Feb 12 14:48:15 2007