LUSAKA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cholera has claimed the life of a child in Lusaka, the Zambia, while cases have now increased to 32, health authorities said on Wednesday.
The water-borne disease broke out last week in four sprawling shanty compounds, with initially nine cases.
But Ministry of Health spokesperson Maximilian Bweupe said the number has now increased to 32, with the youngest being a three-year-old child who was certified dead within a few minutes of arrival at a treatment center.
The outbreak was due to contaminated water in the affected areas, poor hygienic practices and erratic supply of clean water, the spokesperson added.
The ministry has since intensified measure to control the outbreak such as shutting down affected boreholes and shallow wells in the affected areas while cholera treatment centers have been staffed with health personnel and adequate medical supplies and drugs.
"The Ministry of Health and its partners is responding actively in order to keep the outbreak under control and it is resolved as soon as possible," the spokesperson said.
Cholera outbreak is common in the Zambian capital because of poor water supply systems, especially in densely populated areas.
