Beyond the Pit Bull: Zimbabwe Faces Surge in Dog B...

Beyond the Pit Bull: Zimbabwe Faces Surge in Dog Bites, Diarrhoea, and Flu

Witness Runodada Zim Now Reporter

Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) reported a rise in dog bite incidents, common diarrhoea, malaria, and influenza cases in its latest Weekly Disease Surveillance.

Mike Mupinga, a 40-year-old man from New Bluffhill in Harare, was arrested last week and charged with culpable homicide after his pit bulls attacked and killed 39-year-old Samuel Machara. Machara's body was discovered near Mupinga's residence with dog bite wounds. Mupinga's dogs had been a long-standing threat to local residents, with neighbors reporting that the animals, kept in a poorly secured yard, roamed freely, terrorized the community, and had previously attacked people, other pets, and livestock.

According to the ministry, a total of 492 dog bite cases were recorded during the week, although no fatalities were reported. Of those bitten, 84 individuals (17%) were attacked by vaccinated dogs, 115 (23%) by unvaccinated dogs, while the majority — 292 cases (60%) — involved dogs of unknown vaccination status. Manicaland Province reported the highest number of dog bite cases with 88, followed closely by Masvingo and Midlands Provinces, both with 78 cases each.

“The cumulative number of dog bite cases recorded so far this year stands at 13,040, with no deaths reported,” the ministry stated.

On common diarrhoea, the report indicated that 4,356 cases were reported across the country during the week, with two deaths recorded. One death occurred at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare Province, while the other was reported in Mwenezi District, Masvingo Province. Alarmingly, 1,703 cases (39%) involved children under the age of five. The provinces hardest hit were Mashonaland West with 766 cases and Manicaland with 710. The cumulative total for diarrhoea now stands at 142,814 cases and 64 deaths.

Suspected influenza also saw a significant number of reported cases, with 5,861 logged this week. No related deaths have been reported to date. Mashonaland West Province recorded the highest number of influenza cases at 2,048, followed by Manicaland with 1,758. The cumulative tally for influenza now stands at 96,109 suspected cases.

Malaria continues to pose a major public health threat, with 6,768 new cases and 18 deaths reported in the same week. The fatalities were recorded at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital (4), Buhera District (1), and other parts of the country not detailed in the summary.

Lastly, the report noted the emergence of two new anthrax cases, with no deaths. These cases were identified in Gokwe North and Gokwe South districts in the Midlands Province.