Malaria claims 10 in Bikita

George Maponga in BIKITA
An outbreak of malaria has so far claimed 10 lives in Bikita, where 450 cases of the disease have been reported over the past few days following rampaging floods that also devastated infrastructure in the district.

The Civil Protection Unit through the Ministry of Health and Child Care will today start an anti-malaria spraying programme targeting water-logged areas in Bikita.

Since the beginning of the heavy rains that induced floods, malaria has killed 10 people in Bikita with District Administrator and chairperson of the Civil Protection Unit in the district Mr Bernard Hadzirabwi saying the disease continued to pose a threat to communities.

Mr Hadzirabwi said recent floods that swept through the district had created many breeding grounds for mosquitoes, leading to an outbreak of malaria.

Among the areas worst affected by the outbreak were Devure 1 and 2, Ngorima, Mutikizizi, Odzi, Ruponeso and Negovano.

Mr Hadzirabwi said the district had since rung the alarm bells, with the national Civil Protection Unit directorate coming in to contain the deadly disease.

“So far 10 people have died because of malaria in Bikita with a total of 450 cases of the disease having been reported at various clinics in the district since the beginning of the floods,’’ he said.

“We alerted the national CPU office and teams from the Ministry of Health and Child Care will begin a anti-malaria campaign in hotspot areas for the deadly disease.’’

Mr Hadzirabwi said fears abound that the disease might claim more lives unless action was taken to curb it in the wake of numerous breeding grounds created by floods.

Bikita is one of the districts that emerged worse off from heavy rains that led to flooding across most parts of Masvingo.

Besides the malaria outbreak, the floods also caused landslides that claimed the life of a Grade Two pupil in Mudzami communal lands in Bikita.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere revealed on Thursday last week that some districts in Masvingo received some of the highest amounts of rainfall in a 24-hour period. Rupike, which is 70km from Masvingo City, received 224mm, Bikita District received 200mm, and Zaka District received 196mm.

Government has already made an international humanitarian appeal to mitigate the effects of the floods after President Mugabe declared a state of disaster.

At least $100 million is required to repair infrastructure damaged by the floods that claimed 246 lives, injured at least 128 people while 1 576 were marooned.

Nearly 2 000 people were left homeless by the floods that breached about 70 dams and damaged five health institutions countrywide.

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