WINDHOEK, June 16 — Namibia‘s Ministry of Health and Social Services on Saturday reported a suspected cholera outbreak in the Opuwo district of Kunene Region, following the hospitalization of four individuals from the same household.
In a statement, the ministry said the first two suspected cases involved four-year-old children who were admitted to Opuwo District Hospital on June 9 with acute watery diarrhea and severe dehydration.
One of the children died shortly after admission, while the other remains hospitalized in stable condition. Laboratory tests conducted on Wednesday and Thursday detected the presence of Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, in both cases.
Confirmatory results are still pending. Two additional family members — a five-year-old child and a 35-year-old adult — were admitted on Friday with similar symptoms and are currently in stable condition in the hospital’s isolation ward.
The family reported no recent travel history or attendance at public gatherings, the ministry said, adding that health authorities are investigating the source of the infection.
In response, the ministry has launched measures to contain the suspected outbreak, including early detection of additional cases, public education on cholera prevention, and promotion of early health-seeking behavior.
According to World Health Organization and national health guidelines, one laboratory-confirmed local case of cholera constitutes an outbreak, requiring immediate public health interventions. (Xinhua)
