In Zimbabwe, a state of emergency was declared in the capital Harare due to a cholera outbreak that has lasted months and left dozens dead. The measure was taken because the situation was “very bad”, said the city president, Ian Makone, today.
All provinces in the southern African country are affected by the outbreak. Since February, authorities have registered more than 7,000 suspected cases and almost 150 deaths. To date, 51 deaths have been confirmed through laboratory tests. At least twelve people died in Harare. Some authorities already fear conditions similar to those of 2008, when at least 4,000 people died from cholera in Zimbabwe.
Cholera is transmitted, among other things, through contaminated drinking water and can quickly lead to death if left untreated. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the disease has increased again around the world since 2021.