The district epidemic preparedness committee in Vubwi has with immediate effect suspended mobile markets following the outbreak of cholera in the district.
The mobile markets, locally known as called Kabwandila, have been suspended for two weeks because they have the potential to be super-spreaders of cholera as they involve mobile traders both from within Vubwi and across, in the neighbouring Malawi, where health authorities have been contending with the waterborne disease.
Vubwi District Commissioner Given Sakala has announced the suspension of the mobile markets, a decision made following a district epidemic preparedness committee meeting yesterday.
Mr Sakala said the move has been necessitated to contain the spreading of the disease, which so far has infected six people and claimed one life.
“As stakeholders, we agreed to suspend the mobile markets for the meantime till the epidemic subsides,” he said.
The District Commissioner has since called on residents to observe good hygiene practices.
“Cholera can be easily eliminated literally by following precautionary measures such as washing hands, boiling drinking water and eating hot food,” he said.
Mr Sakala noted the district epidemic team and stakeholders are yet to institute more preventive measures depending on the severity of the pandemic.
And several residents have commended the suspension of the Kabwandila markets.
The residents backing the suspension of the mobile markets noted that markets can always continue after cholera but life will not, so it only makes sense that they be suspended for the time being.
Vubwi is one of the districts of Zambia that share close borders with Malawi where the disease has spread to 29 districts, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports.
According to the European Commission’s Directorate, death cases of Cholera in Malawi stood at 990 as of January 24, 2023.