AS IF Zimbabwe didn鈥檛 have enough problems, the country is now facing an unprecedented outbreak of as a result of its deteriorating infrastructure.
As New 杏吧原创 went to press, there had been . The worst affected area is the capital Harare, where the local Ministry of Health has described the outbreak as 鈥渢he biggest ever鈥�.
Cholera is endemic in some of the rural areas of Zimbabwe and the last major outbreak was in 1992, when there were 3000 cases. Until recently, it was relatively rare in urban areas.
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Now, run-down infrastructure, burst sewage pipes, water cuts and a lack of trained sanitation workers are forcing people to dig makeshift wells and defecate in public, increasing exposure to the water-borne disease. The onset of the rainy season may flush more sewage into wells, exacerbating the problem.
鈥淩un-down infrastructure and burst sewage pipes are forcing people to defecate in public鈥�
Aid organisation M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res warns that up to 1.4 million people are at risk if the outbreak continues to spread.