The incidence of cholera cases in Mozambique has surged by a factor of ten since February, with over 28,000 individuals afflicted by the disease in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy, which devastated the southern African nation. UNICEF reported these distressing findings on Tuesday.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), cholera has claimed 123 lives in Mozambique since late 2022. This acute diarrheal condition is caused by consuming food or water that has been contaminated with bacteria, and its prevalence is on the upswing.
According to UNICEF, Freddy demolished a hundred health facilities and 250 water points in Mozambique, depriving about 300,000 people of drinking water, primarily in the center of the country, one of the poorest in the world.
The hurricane killed at least 86 people in the country of 33 million and left tens of thousands homeless. More than 390,000 hectares of land were also affected by the cyclone, raising concerns about the upcoming harvest.