RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

Situation Update No. 1

Posted:2010-01-20, 16:01:46 [UTC]

Ref.no.: EP-20100120-24632-ZWE

Situation Update No. 1
On 2010-03-02 at 06:34:51 [UTC]

Event: Epidemic
Location: Zimbabwe Murwira area Bikita

Number of Deads: 110 person(s)
Number of Infected: 1500 person(s)

At least 110 children have now died from measles in Zimbabwe. The World Health Organisation said on Monday there have been 1500 cases of measles in Zimbabwe since late last year. Local reports said 46 of the 110 children’s deaths were in the last fort night in the central districts of Gokwe north and south. The deaths are being blamed on the apostolic sects. Locally they are known for wearing beards, white robes and carrying sticks. Many of them oppose mainstream medical interventions like vaccinations. Health officials have embarked on a vaccination drive but there are fears Zimbabwe’s chronic power cuts are seriously threatening the vaccines effectiveness as clinics and hospitals cannot keep them cold.