Cholera on the decline in KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Zweli Mkhize announced Wednesday that in most of the province's districts there had been no new cases of cholera reported since the beginning of the month. Mkhize said the decline could be attributed to the cold weather and lack of heavy rainfall but that surveillance, monitoring and medical intervention would continue unabated till the epidemic was completely eradicated. Only isolated cases have been found in Umkhanyakude, Uthungulu, Amajuba and Llembe districts in KwaZulu-Natal, with an average of three or less cases being reported a day, Mkhize said. Mkhize also said that although the situation was currently under control, communities were advised to continue taking precautionary measures and only use clean, treated water. There have been 120 368 reported cases of cholera and 289 reported cholera deaths in the last three years since the epidemic broke out. (Source: SAPA, 17 July 2002)