On Saturday, November 18th, Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, declared a state of emergency in response to a rapidly escalating cholera outbreak. The crisis has already claimed the lives of at least 50 people, with over 7,000 suspected cases reported, evoking memories of the devastating 2008 cholera outbreak.
Mayor Ian Makone of Harare announced the emergency measures, citing the urgent need for aid to contain the spread and provide safe water. The city’s health authorities are overwhelmed by the high number of admissions and are grappling with a shortage of health workers and essential supplies to halt the transmission of the disease.
The epicenter of the outbreak is in Harare’s high-density suburb of Kuwadzana, accounting for nearly half of the reported cases. Cholera, an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, is typically contracted through contaminated food or water. Treatment involves oral rehydration solutions to replace lost fluids and salts due to diarrhea and vomiting.
This outbreak’s severity is reminiscent of the 2008 cholera crisis, which resulted in over 4,000 deaths and infected at least 100,000 people, leading to a paralysis of basic services across Zimbabwe. That crisis was a significant factor in pushing then-President Robert Mugabe into a historic power-sharing deal with his long-time rival, Morgan Tsvangirai.
In 2018, Zimbabwe faced a similar health emergency with a combined outbreak of typhoid and cholera, leading to 20 deaths and more than 2,000 cases. The current situation, as Mayor Makone stated, has returned “with vengeance.” On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health announced that the country had recorded 7,398 suspected cases, 50 confirmed deaths, and 109 hospitalizations.
As part of the emergency response, the Health Minister visited the epicenter, announcing measures to combat the outbreak. These include the removal of street food vendors and the provision of trucked safe water. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) warns that the disease is rapidly spreading across multiple geographical areas, affecting 45 out of 62 districts and all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe. There is a growing concern that the outbreak may cross borders, affecting neighboring countries like Malawi, South Africa, and Mozambique, which have also experienced cholera outbreaks in the past.
The cholera crisis in Zimbabwe highlights the critical need for access to clean water and robust public health systems. As the country battles this outbreak, the international community’s support and effective local measures are crucial to prevent further loss of life and contain the spread of this deadly disease.
