Zambia Postpones School Reopening Amid Cholera Outbreak

Zambia's government has decided to delay the start of the new school year by three weeks due to an ongoing cholera outbreak that has resulted in 150 deaths since October. The Education Minister, Douglas Syakalima, announced that schools, originally set to reopen on January 8, will now commence classes on January 29. The decision comes in response to the increasing number of cholera cases across the country. As of the latest government figures, Zambia has reported more than 4,000 cases of cholera, with a mortality rate of 3.7 percent. In the past 24 hours alone, 342 new cases have been recorded, along with 23 deaths.

The government, while acknowledging the impact of pandemics on the education sector, emphasised that prioritising the safety of school communities remains paramount. To curb the spread of cholera, Zambia has implemented measures such as distributing chlorine to disinfect contaminated water. The World Health Organisation has expressed concerns about the rising number of cholera cases globally, particularly in Africa.

Hosts: Osarogie Ogbonmwan and Olive Emodi
Guest: Emmanuel Mwamba, Member, Patriotic Front Central Committee, Lusaka, Zambia

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Zambia Postpones School Reopening Amid Cholera Outbreak Increase | NC Breakfast Central | 05-01-24

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