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Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has recorded 1,219 epidemic-prone disease related deaths while 182 women succumbed to maternal-related complications in the past six months. Epidemic-prone diseases such as malaria, typhoid, diarrhoea, cholera and dysentery are commonly referred to as outbreak diseases.According to the latest weekly report on epidemic-prone diseases and deaths from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, 549 people succumbed to diarrhoea from 337,600 cases recorded throughout the country in week ending July 20.

“The total diarrhoea cases reported this week are 12,375 cases and 17 deaths. Of the reported cases 7,965 (64,4 percent) and nine deaths were from the under five years of age,” reads part of the report.

“The deaths were reported from Buhera District in Manicaland (one), Mt Darwin District (four) and Shamva District (two) both in Mashonaland Central province, Sanyati District in Mashonaland West province (one), Gwanda District in Matabeleland South (one), Harare Central Hospital (three), Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (three), Chitungwiza Central Hospital (one) and Bulawayo City (one).”

The report indicates the Midlands has the highest number of diarrhoea cases at 2,037 followed by Mashonaland West at 1,796.
The cumulative figure for diarrhoea cases is 337,600 and 549 deaths.

However, no explanation is given on the causes of diarrhoea and what the ministry is doing to curb the disease.
On malaria, the report indicates that 3,057 malaria cases and seven deaths were reported in the country within the same period.

Of the cases reported, 639 and two deaths were under the age of five years.
Nyanga, Mt Darwin District, Mutoko, Masvingo and Sanyati districts recorded one death each while Hwange recorded two.
Manicaland province had the highest number of malaria cases at 1,059 followed by Mashonaland Central at 850.

The cumulative figure for malaria from the beginning of the year now stands at 464,725 cases and 587 deaths.
There were four new suspected typhoid cases reported in the same week one from Harare City and three from Harare Central Hospital.
“The cumulative figure for typhoid is 345 suspected cases, 55 confirmed cases and 9 deaths,” reads the report.

Clinical dysentery, according to the report, had 682 cases recorded with Manicaland on top with 141 cases and one death from Mangwe District.
The cumulative figure for dysentery was 23,212 and 74 deaths.
Of the 182 maternal deaths, six were reported in the past week.

The deaths were reported from Mazowe (two), Hwange (one), Harare Central Hospital (one) and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals (two).
On rabies the report says two cases were recorded and two deaths in the past week with the cumulative total at 10 cases and nine deaths.
Snake bites have claimed 39 lives from 3,007 cases since the beginning of the year.

“The total snake bite cases reported this week are 18 and no deaths. The cumulative figure for snake bites is 3,007 and 39 deaths,” reads the report.