Staff Reporter
THE Minister of Health, Dr Esperance Luvindao, has officially declared a cholera outbreak in the Opuwo District of the Kunene Region after five out of eight suspected cases were confirmed positive.
According to the Minister, all five confirmed cases are from the same household in Opuwo. They are currently in stable condition and are being treated in an isolation ward at Opuwo District Hospital. The four-year-old who passed away from cholera last week was also from this particular household.
The Minister revealed that, initially, eight suspected cases were identified in the Kunene Region, including two individuals from Otjimuhaka village near Opuwo town. However, laboratory results have since confirmed that these two cases are negative for cholera.
“The confirmation of cases was done with the support of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa, where the samples were sent earlier this week. The Vibrio cholerae O1 strain, known to be responsible for causing outbreaks, was identified—highlighting the urgent need for swift and decisive action to contain the spread of the disease. These cases are all reported to be locally originating. In accordance with the World Health Organization standards for cholera management, one confirmed locally transmitted cholera case constitutes an outbreak. Based on these confirmed findings, I therefore officially declare a cholera outbreak in the Opuwo District of the Kunene Region, with all six cases localised and affecting one household,” Luvindao announced.
The Minister added that, in response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has activated the Incident Management System (IMS) to facilitate a coordinated, multi-sectoral response. Luvindao explained that the IMS enables effective coordination, resource mobilisation, streamlined communication, and timely, data-driven decision-making.
“We are working closely with regional and local authorities, as well as various stakeholders, to contain this outbreak and prevent further spread. Collaboration is key to our success, and we are committed to working with all partners to achieve our shared goal of eliminating cholera from our communities,” Luvindao said.
She urged the public to adhere to safety measures to prevent the spread of cholera, including using safe, treated, or boiled water for drinking and food preparation; washing hands thoroughly with soap and clean water; and avoiding the consumption of food from unsafe sources. She also encouraged people to immediately seek medical care if they or anyone in their household experiences watery diarrhoea or vomiting, and to begin drinking Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) immediately upon experiencing watery diarrhoea, until reaching a health facility.
