Health authorities say all set for rolling out of cholera vaccine across the country’s hot spots.

Minister responsible for Health Khumbize Chiponda said this in Parliament on Friday when delivering a ministerial statement on progress government has made so far to contain the spread of the bacteria.

The health ministry reports that districts in Malawi have reported at least one Cholera case since the confirmation of the first case this year in March in Machinga district.

The outbreak has been controlled in two districts. In the last 14 days, the disease has been reported in 26 districts. On November 12, 2022, a total of 114 new cases and six new deaths were reported, says the ministry.

Chiponda said the mass immunisation campaign will commence next week especially the most affected ones.

She said: “Eight districts were initially prioritised for the oral cholera vaccine (OCV). These are the flood affected districts such as Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mulanje, Phalombe, Mangochi, Balaka, Blantyre and Machinga.

“The vaccine is given to everyone aged one year and above. The Target population was 1, 947, 695 persons less than one year old.”

The health minister has however pleaded with people in the country not to relax cholera prevention measures especially this coming festive season.

Cholera is an acute diarrhea infection caused by eating or drinking water or food which is contaminated with the bacterium called “Vibrio cholerae”.

According to ministry of health, cholera still remains a disease of public health importance not only in Malawi but also in many other countries in the world.

The cumulative cholera cases and deaths reported since the onset of the outbreak is 8,009 and 236 respectively, with Case Fatality Rate at 2.9%. A total of 7,528 people have recovered and 245 were or are currently in the treatment centers on November 12, 2022.