A SUSPECTED cholera outbreak has been reported at a Johane
Marange Apostolic sect shrine in Murewa following the death of three members
who are believed to have succumbed to the deadly waterborne disease.
The shrine is located in Mukwa village, ward 10, in Murewa
North constituency. NewsDay is reliably informed that a provincial
environmental health officer visited the area on Tuesday, but was denied access
to the shrine by the sect members, who also reportedly blocked other health
officials.
“We were told there were deaths from a religious sect, the
provincial environmental health officer went there yesterday (Tuesday), but was
denied access to the place. So today (yesterday), they went with members of the
police,” a top health official in the province, who declined to be named, said.
Efforts to get a comment from the provincial medical
director Simukai Zizhou were fruitless, as he was said to be on leave.
Mashonaland East provincial administrator Tarubarira
Kutamahufa, who travelled to Murewa yesterday, confirmed that government was
investigating suspected cholera cases and was amicably engaging the sect to
establish what had really transpired.
“We cannot say it is cholera, the details are still
sketchy. We are still investigating suspected cholera cases or other diarrhoeal
diseases. We have engaged the district Civil Protection Unit (CPU) to engage
the church members so that health officials are allowed to work freely and
establish what really transpired,” he said.
Kutamahufa added that two treatment centres had since been
established at Murewa District Hospital.
Some apostolic sects are against taking modern medicine,
citing religious beliefs. Murewa North legislator Daniel Garwe (Zanu PF) said various
stakeholders were on the ground.
“I have heard about it (suspected cases). All relevant
authorities are now dealing with the issue. These include health, ZRP and CPU
officials,” Garwe said.
A recent cholera outbreak in Harare resulted in the death
of at least 55 people countrywide. Newsday
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