Zim: Cholera cases near 70,000

  1. Posted on Monday 9 February 2009 - 12:04
    Sam Banda Junior
    Image of Sam Banda Junior
    Sam Banda Junior, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
    Fear continues to grip people in Zimbabwe as the cholera outbreak cases is reported to have neared 70,000, according to latest figures from United Nations. The cholera outbreak has further been prolonged by the rainy season which is currently being experienced by many southern African countries.
    Zimbabwe_Photo: ROHR Zimbabwe
    The UN said about 69,000 cases have been recorded with over 3, 300 people reported dead. More people have fled the country in search of better living.

    In Malawi cholera has also killed over 30 people which started last year in December. The cholera outbreak which has mostly hit the capital city is said to have started due to poor hygiene.

    Cholera camps have since been established in the country’s capital to fight the disease.

    Apart from being hit by the cholera disease which is said to have started because of drinking of unsafe water and poor hygiene, Zimbabwe is facing economic problems which have seen its inflation rise.

    Prices of goods and food continue to go up and media reports in the once mighty nation of Africa, say people continue to depend on aid. Many Zimbabweans await for the power sharing deal which was brokered by former South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki in September last year.

    Under the deal to form a new unity government, President Robert Mugabe, who has faced mounting pressure to resign, will remain president with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister.

    Recently Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Senegal’s President called for Mugabe’s resignation saying the power sharing deal could not work with him.

    Mugabe and Tsvangirai have been at loggerheads over the deal disagreeing on the sharing of cabinet positions.

    However after a Southern African Development (SADC) meeting in South Africa recently which lasted hours, a new unity government was agreed with the two sharing the key cabinet positions.

    Tsvangirai has since agreed to form the new unity government and if all goes well reports say cabinet ministers will be sworn in by February 13.

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