CHOLERA cases have continued to surge in Chililabombwe district on the Copperbelt with the recent number of suspected cholera cases being 16 in the past 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total to 86 cases.
According to Copperbelt Province principal public relations officer (PPRO) Marilyn Rose, 24 patients have been discharged within the same period, increasing the total recoveries to 57.
Rose told Kalemba that 26 patients currently remain admitted while the death toll stands at five. 
The outbreak has been largely concentrated in Kasumbalesa where investigations have revealed that some residents were using water mixed with the sewage.
In response, government has intensified public health interventions, including closing down restaurants and bakeries operating in unsanitary conditions.
The PPRO said some food vendors were found preparing meals near waste disposal sites, posing a significant health risk.
“Government is shutting down those restaurants that were not adhering to public health standards. Some were found preparing food next to a garbage dump while certain bakeries were operating in unhygienic environments,” she added.
Authorities have also established two cholera treatment centers in Kasumbalesa which has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak.
Previously, patients were treated at Chililabombwe District Hospital but the movement of infected individuals contributed to further transmission.
The business community also donated a borehole installed at one of the facilities to cushion more cases.
Residents in the area were urged to observe strict hygiene measures and use safe water sources to curb the spread of the disease.
