Kipindupindu chalipuka maeneo ya Moshi

(AllAfrica.com)
An outbreak of cholera in Kibosho, Moshi Rural district yesterday claimed one life while an unspecified number of people were being treated in hospitals and health centres.

Reports from the area, some 15 kilometers from Moshi on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, say the situation was getting out of hand.

The critically hit area is Kibosho division, with scores of residents in the area said to be in a critical condition.

Vincent Msacky, an assistant medical officer at a hospital there, said the situation was critical and appealed for support from district and regional authorities to contain it.

He said at least one person had died and many have been hospitalised. If not contained, many lives could be lost, he declared.

He said a temporary centre to treat sick people has been set up at Umbwe health centre.

Cholera is a highly contagious disease caused by "vibrio cholera" microbes, with infected people vomiting and running out in fluid stool everything in their body's digestive system.

A person suffering from cholera can die within two or three days if not properly treated. Mr. Msacky said health facilities available cannot cope with the epidemic which has taken up two weeks and counting.

Unconfirmed reports say the number of people suffering from the disease could be higher than has been reported.

The cholera outbreak has created a scare in neighbouring villages in Uru, including,Kirima Mashariki, Maua, Singa and Uru Mawella.

Efforts to contact the regional medical officer or the regional authorities to comment on the matter proved futile yesterday.