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Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
EIGHTEEN people have died of malaria in Masvingo Province since January this year with 4 500 cases of the disease recorded this month.

Chiredzi District accounts for 70 percent of the cases.

In an interview Masvingo provincial medical director (PMD) Dr Amadeaus Shamu said the Ministry of Health and Child Care is on alert.

“Despite the province recording one fatality since beginning of March as compared to 17 deaths reported in January and February, the situation is worrying and the ministry will remain on alert,” said Dr Shamu.

“We have received 2 500 cases of malaria around the province in the first two weeks of March (7-15). We have received cases from Bikita, Zaka, Chiredzi and Mwenezi.”

He said the Ministry of Health and Child Care has taken robust interventions as many people were treated and preventive measures taken.

Dr Shamu said a number of village health workers have been engaged to help in educating the public especially in rural areas on the precautionary measures to combat the outbreak.

“We have re-engaged most of our village health workers to help us hunt for malaria-related ailments. We will treat every suspected malaria case. Some of the areas were not sprayed but the problem has since been rectified. While the situation seems to be under control we are not going to relax,” he said.

He urged people to seek early treatment, put on long sleeved shirts and dresses, sleep under mosquito nets and apply mosquito repellents when they go to bed to avoid mosquito bites.

Last month, the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa flew to Malipati Clinic in Chiredzi near the Mozambican border with malaria drugs to beef up stocks citing the rising cases of the disease as some parts of the district are not accessible due to road damage caused by the recent floods.

@walterbmswazie3