The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has reported 8,472 cases of common diarrhea and two related deaths for the week ending October 13, 2024. The fatalities were recorded at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare Province.
The latest surveillance report reveals that 3,748 of the reported cases involved children under the age of five. Manicaland Province recorded the highest number of infections with 870 cases, followed closely by Mashonaland East with 854 cases.
The cumulative figures for the year now stand at 293,174 cases of diarrhea and 152 deaths across the country, underscoring the continuing public health challenge.
The Ministry has urged the public to adhere to preventive measures, which include:
• Ensuring access to safe drinking water
• Using improved sanitation facilities
• Regular hand washing with soap
• Exclusive breastfeeding for infants during the first six months
• Practicing good personal and food hygiene
• Promoting health education on how infections spread
• Administering rotavirus vaccinations
Health authorities are encouraging citizens to remain vigilant, particularly for the safety of young children, as efforts to control the outbreak continue.
