Zambia registers 12 new cholera deaths, 418 more cases

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Zambia on Monday said it reported 12 new cholera deaths and 431 cases over the past 24 hours.

The country also received the first batch of 1.4 million oral cholera vaccine doses out of 1.7 million already approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), Health Minister Sylvia Masebo told reporters.

The country has "periodically used oral cholera vaccines to successfully respond to emergencies that have affected different parts of the country,” she added.

Masebo said that the cholera outbreak has so far affected 45 out of the country’s 116 districts since October last year.

“The 418 new cases have been recorded from eight provinces, with Lusaka accounting for 381. We have recorded 12 deaths and discharged 363 patients from the various treatment centers,” she said.

“In the last 24 hours, we have discharged 363 patients from various treatment centers. This is slightly lower than yesterday when we discharged 388 patients and on Saturday when 400 patients were discharged,” the minister added.