1.8 mln Zambians get cholera vaccine

Lusaka [Zambia], January 28: About 1.8 million Zambians in cholera hotspot areas have gotten the oral cholera vaccine as the exercise comes to a close, health authorities said on Saturday.
Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo said in an update statement on the cholera situation that the vaccine was administered in hotspot districts in Lusaka Province, including Lusaka, the country's capital.
The country commenced the targeted vaccination exercise on Jan. 16.
The minister said the Ministerial Taskforce on Cholera has intensified its community cleaning exercise in hotspot shanty compounds in the country's capital.
According to her, the task force has been mobilizing residents to clean various public places as part of efforts to tackle the waterborne disease.
"This outbreak continues to pose a threat to the health security of the nation and therefore calls for a continued intensified multisectoral response," she said.
The country has so far recorded 14,900 cases and 560 deaths since October last year when the disease broke out.
Source: Xinhua