One Person Confirmed Dead As Cholera Hits Malawi’s Salima Again

One person has died from cholera in Salima, just a few weeks after the council declared that cholera outbreak was over.

Health officials from the local council confirmed on Tuesday that samples taken from the deceased tested positive for cholera.

The deceased identified as Justice Machesi, 69, from Kasonda Village in the area of Senior Traditional Authority Khombedza in Salima died at the District Hospital on Friday.

Meanwhile, District Health Officer, Dr. Ivy Chilingulo, has said health officials are investigating the source of the new cholera case.

“We are still treating this case as an isolated case, as our officials on the ground are investigating to find the source,” said Chilingulo.

Dr Chilingulo, however, pointed out that the case may have come as a result of people stopping following hygiene practices after the district was declared cholera free.

“We are observing that since the district declared a cholera free status, people have stopped following standard hygiene practices such as hand washing, this is dangerous,” she said.

The new case brings the total number of deaths from the disease in the district to five and raises the number of cases to 100 since the disease hit the district in January, 2018.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is yet to comment on the matter as its spokesperson did not respond to a questionnaire sent to him on Tuesday morning.