Three more people have died of cholera in the Musina Hospital, taking the death toll to six, with the number of cases of infection having risen to 399, amid reports that at Beit Bridge Hospital the situation had subsided.

The deceased are four Zimbabweans and two South Africans. The latest victim is a South African, who died on Tuesday.

The Musina Hospital spokesperson, Mr Edward Malima, said the majority of cholera patients were Zimbabweans, coming from neighbouring Beit Bridge town, where more than 80 people have so far died since the outbreak.

“We now have 399 cases of infection and you will note that about 85% of the patients are Zimbabweans, who continue coming here to seeking medication. We are assisting them in that regard,” he said. Rehydration tents for cholera patients have since been constructed in the garden of the Musina Hospital to cater for cholera patients. Malima said a team of highly trained health personnel have been deployed at the two rehydration tents for cholera patients.

At Beit Bridge hospital, the local medical officer, Dr Nyasha Masuka, said the number of cholera-related deaths had lately gone down, compared to the first days of the outbreak. “We are getting assistance from our South African counterparts and partners and that has really contributed towards reducing the number of cholera-related deaths at the Beit Bridge District Hospital. The cases have in the past few days been getting fewer and the deaths are much fewer than at the beginning. You will also note that, on Tuesday, we only recorded two deaths,” he said.

Several organizations, which include the World Health Organization (WHO), Unicef, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Action Against Hunger and World Vision, have been assisting the Beit Bridge community continuously. The organizations donated medical supplies, protective clothing, fuel and anti-cholera drugs.

The South African government has also chipped in with assistance to complement the Zimbabwean health authorities in Beit Bridge in dealing with the cholera outbreak in that country.
Cholera was first detected in Beit Bridge on November 14, after eight specimen tests conducted at the local hospital laboratory proved positive. Since then, more patients have been coming in large numbers, seeking treatment.