HARARE, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of people who have died of cholera has risen to 30 while 5,463 cases have also been reported, health and child care minister Obadiah Moyo said Monday to the media.
He said government, the Harare City Council and police were making concerted efforts to contain the disease which first broke out in Harare's high density suburbs of Glen View and Budiriro two weeks ago.
The water-borne disease, which has been declared a state of emergency, has since spread to other parts of the country.
The outbreak occurred as a result of burst sewer pipes that contaminated borehole water used by some of the residents in the city.
"We are increasing water supplies and medication to the affected areas following assistance from various partners. We have also received drugs and protective clothing," Moyo said.
Local government minister July Moyo said due to the magnitude of the health emergency, his ministry has since made a recommendation to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to declare the outbreak a state of disaster.
He said the Harare City Council was facing severe challenges in providing clean water and sanitation to the residents, thereby exposing residents to diarrhoeal diseases.
"There is need to put in place strategic measures to manage the drivers of these outbreaks, notably water supply situation, the dilapidated sewer systems, waste management and illegal vending challenges," the local government minister said.
Meanwhile, police at the weekend enforced the ban on illegal vending in the city as part of measures to contain the outbreak.
Zimbabwe's last major cholera outbreak occurred in 2008 when 4,000 people died from the disease.
