Health Ministry Allays Cholera Outbreak Scare in Chinhoyi

The Health Ministry of Health has allayed fears there was an outbreak of cholera in Chinhoyi.

This follows viral messages on social media platforms suggesting the water-borne disease had hit the Mashonaland West administrative capital.

However, Mashonaland West provincial medical director, Gift Masoja told NewZimbabwe.com Thursday there was no outbreak of cholera, but that health authorities had trekked down an isolated case of diarrhoeal infections among a team of road maintenance workers.

“No, no, there is nothing of that sort in Chinhoyi. We did make a follow-up yesterday (Wednesday) and realised that we have a team of road maintenance workmen who prepared chicken by boiling it,” he said.

“They left it the whole day in this hot weather, and returned later in the evening and added tomatoes and onions before consuming the food. This is what caused the workmen to suffer from diarrhoea. It’s not cholera,” said Masoja.

Unconfirmed reports say at least nine Tarcon Construction employees experienced running stomachs, but are now in stable condition.

Chinhoyi Municipality also issued a statement dismissing the fake news over an outbreak of the deadly Cholera.

Said council spokesperson, Tichaona Mlauzi: “Following some rumours of a cholera outbreak in Chinhoyi community that have been circulating on social media, please be advised that we do not have a diarrhoea outbreak in Chinhoyi.

“We have no Tarcon Construction company employee who has reported at any of our clinics complaining of diarrhoea or abdominal challenges.”

Mlauzi said the latest municipal disease surveillance report do not point to any disease outbreak in the town.

By New Zimbabwe.