By Chisomo Phiri
Following an ongoing rise in the number of cholera cases in the country, Lilongwe city council authorities have today temporarily closed Wakawaka market and Central Poultry 2000 Limited in Lilongwe on accusations that they are failing to follow sanitation measures.
Mayor for Lilongwe city council Richard Banda has confirmed the development with local media saying this has been done in order to prevent people’s lives at risk of contracting cholera disease.
The Mayor inspected himself the market and the company where he noted poor sanitation.
According to Banda, the closure
will become effective tomorrow.
Banda said the facilities will be reopened once they comply with proper hygiene measures.
Lilongwe has so far, recorded 1,265 cholera cases and 106 deaths since the start of the outbreak in March.
Largely, Malawi has registered 18,222 cases and 620 deaths over the same period.
Yesterday alone, the country recorded 409 cases and 25 deaths.
In a similar development, government has suspended reopening of primary and secondary schools in Lilongwe and Blantyre due to the cholera outbreak.
Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water.
The disease causes severe diarrhea and dehydration
If left untreated, cholera can be fatal within hours, even in previously healthy people.
