Cholera kills two in Niassa.

Two people have died and a further ten are hospitalised following an outbreak of cholera in the district of Lago, Niassa province, northern Mozambique, health authorities announced yesterday.

The victims who died were transferred from the village of Ngofi to the treatment centre in Cóbue with acute diarrhoea and vomiting, chief doctor of Niassa province, Narciso Rondinho, is quoted by the daily Notícias as saying.

Without giving specific dates, Rondinho said that the treatment centre for diarrhoeal diseases in Cóbue administrative post was set up following the outbreak of cholera in the region.

Rondhino also said that at least 70 people had been admitted to the centre since the start of the outbreak, of whom 63 had been discharged.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Manica province, central Mozambique, have recorded one death thought to have been caused by cholera.

“Samples were taken and sent to Chimoio Provincial Hospital [for analysis],” said Moacite Ibo, head of public health in Manica.

Cholera causes severe but treatable diarrhoea, but can also cause death from dehydration in the absence of prompt treatment. It is usually caused by the ingestion of food and water contaminated as a result of inadequate sanitation.