An outbreak of Cholera has killed over 1,000 people in Malawi. The death toll continues to rise in what is already the worst cholera outbreak in 20 years. Since the first cases were reported in March of 2022, 1,115 Malawi residents have been hospitalized with the virus. Health authorities have also confirmed more than 30,000 infections in the country of 20 million people. Cholera is a waterborne illness which usually spreads due to poor water quality and sanitation. Malawi’s water infrastructure has been in bad condition due to lack of funding for years. Cholera can cause vomiting, diarrhea, severe dehydration, kidney damage and death. The majority of fatalities clustered around two cities, Lilongwe and Blantyre, where kids had returned to school following a delayed opening. The postponed start to the year was an attempt to curtail the outbreak. Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chipondatry said that containment of the virus was hindered partly because of certain cultural beliefs and hostility directed at health workers. “For example, people who are dying of or who have died from cholera may be washed by family members, who then prepare funeral feasts for family and friends held very soon after death. Outbreaks of cholera commonly follow these feasts”, explained Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chipondatry.
Full Story: Associated Press, Medical Xpress