Rising floodwaters and damaged sanitation systems have placed Zimbabwe on high alert for cholera, as health authorities warn that the risk of outbreaks has sharply increased in recent days.
Minister of Health and Child Care Douglas Mombeshora said the current conditions mirror past periods when cholera spread rapidly, especially in densely populated urban settlements and flood-prone rural communities.
He said contaminated water sources remain the biggest threat following heavy rains.
“Once flooding occurs, the danger is no longer theoretical,” Dr Mombeshora said.
“Sewage mixes with drinking water, and that is how cholera finds its way into households.”
Health officials said clinics are already on standby for cases of acute watery diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration, symptoms that often spike after prolonged rains.
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While no nationwide outbreak has been confirmed, surveillance teams are closely monitoring communities considered most vulnerable.
Dr Mombeshora urged families not to wait until illness becomes severe.
“Cholera kills quickly if treatment is delayed, but it is also one of the easiest diseases to manage when people seek help early,”
He said, stressing that oral rehydration and prompt care can prevent deaths.
Beyond hospitals, authorities are pushing prevention at household level, with calls for boiling or treating drinking water, strict hand hygiene and avoiding food sold under unsafe conditions.
Health officials said these simple steps can break transmission chains before they start.
With more rain forecast, the Ministry said the coming weeks will be decisive.
“What people do now will determine whether we contain this risk or face another national emergency,” Dr Mombeshora said, as communities brace for a critical period in public health.
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