Zambia facing spreading cholera outbreak

More than 8,000 people have contracted cholera since the outbreak began in October. At least 300 people have died so far. The disease has spread to nine out of Zambia’s 10 provinces. Cholera is a bacterial disease that has symptoms such as severe diarrhea and vomiting. It is typically caused by drinking contaminated water. If treated, it has a low fatality rate. According to the U.S. government, Zambia’s fatality rate is higher than average.

What is Zambia doing to slow the outbreak? Zambia is delaying the start of school until the end of January. Zambia’s Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit is bringing clean water to neighborhoods and treating water with granulated chlorine. The World Health Organization has given more than 1 million cholera vaccines to Zambia. A large soccer stadium has been converted into a treatment center.

Dig deeper: Listen to Onize Ohikere’s report on a cholera outbreak in Malawi on The World and Everything in It podcast.