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Freedom Mupanedemo in KWEKWE
KWEKWE City Council has clamped down on vendors and backyard food outlets as the local authority moves in to maintain order and hygiene following reports of a cholera outbreak in neighbouring Chegutu.

At least five people are reported to have died in Chegutu with 22 cases having already reported following a cholera outbreak in the town. In an interview yesterday, Kwekwe’s acting director of health services, Mr John Bandama, said they were on high alert and were conducting health inspections in the city. He said they have roped in the police to help them in the blitz.

“As the city, we are on high alert of cholera following reports of the disease outbreak in Chegutu. We once had an outbreak in Kwekwe back in 2008 and the first case was an imported case of a person who ironically had travelled to Kwekwe from Chegutu.

“So what we have done is to activate our teams and working hand in hand with officials at Kwekwe District Hospital so that we quickly detect any cases,” he said. Mr Bandama said they were moving around the city closing backyard food outlets as well as confiscating wares in a bid to prevent the disease.

“It’s an ongoing blitz which started at the weekend and we are working in conjunction with the police as we seek to maintain health standards in the city,” he said Mr Bandama said they have set up an isolation clinic in Mbizo Section One.

“The health team to deal with cases is on standby. We have set a well-equipped isolation clinic in Mbizo to deal with any cases,” he said. Mr Bandama said the local authority sprang into action after a false report that there was a suspected cholera case in the city.

“So far there are no cases, but there was a false alarm that we responded to after our office was told that there was a person affected after taking food at a local fast food outlet. We went there and did our inspection, but there was no such a case.

“However, as the local authority we are on high alert,” he said. Mr Bandama urged residents to maintain high standards of hygiene so as to prevent the disease.

“Prevention is always good and residents are reminded to always exercise hygiene and buy food from reputable outlets,” he said.