The country is on alert! The cholera epidemic grows

In the cholera epidemic that broke out in the country in March 2022, 18,676 people were infected and 625 people died.

Education and training activities were halted in the capital city of Lilongve and Blantyre due to the epidemic, and street food vending was banned across the country.

In the country, where some market places are also closed, an increase in the number of cases is expected due to the arrival of the rainy season.

Health Minister Khumbize Chiponda noted that the number of deaths increased due to late intervention, saying there are people who are resisting vaccination and treatment due to misguidance from the public. It was claimed that 882 patients are still in treatment centers across the country.

Cholera cases, which have been declining for years thanks to measures by global health institutions and governments, have started to rise again due to reasons such as climate change, poverty and conflict.

According to data from the World Health Organization, while the number of countries with cholera cases worldwide between 2017 and 2021 was less than 20, in 2022 alone, cholera epidemics were observed in 26 countries. (AA)