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Zimbabwe bans fish, meat vending to control cholera
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http://www.100md.com 2006-1-10
xinhuanet |
HARARE, Jan. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- The Zimbabwean government has banned public vending of fish and all meat products in a widened move to control the spread of cholera, local media reported on Tuesday.
This came as the fruit and vegetable market at Mbare Musika was closed with immediate effect on Monday.
Health and Child Welfare Minister David Parirenyatwa said on Monday that the prohibition in Harare was imperative to curb the highly infectious disease, which has already claimed three lives in the capital.
On Monday, Sekesayi Makwavarara, an official with the Harare City Council, also recommended the immediate closure of the popular Mbare Musika market to stem the spread of the often fatal water-borne disease.
This comes hardly a week after three family members died in the capital while three more members of the same household and their four lodgers were admitted at Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital for treatment of the highly infectious disease.
Cholera, an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated water or food, has killed 14 people countrywide in the past three weeks.
Mbare Musika vending market is currently in a sorry state with mounds of uncollected garbage and impassable roads, compounded by an invasion of illegal vendors, being the order of the day.
The ongoing rains have also worsened the situation, resulting in mud and rotting garbage attracting flies threatening the health of not only the retailers in the market, but that of Harare residents in general as well.
Makwavarara said the decision to close the market had been taken in order to halt the further spread of cholera. At least 181 cases have so far been reported. Enditem
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