Health officials found the first cholera case in ten years within the Kunene region. Ben Nangombe from the Ministry of Health and Social Services shared this news yesterday. A woman aged 55 came to Opuwo District Hospital on March 2, 2025. She had watery diarrhea for two days before arriving at the hospital.
Doctors gave her proper care following standard treatment guidelines. The staff collected a stool sample on March 3 and sent it for testing at a lab. Results came back on March 10, showing she definitely had cholera. She has already recovered completely and left the hospital in stable condition.
The health ministry immediately implemented strong public health measures. Their early investigation shows that the patient had never recently traveled outside Namibia and had no contact with anyone from foreign countries. Medical records show that she skipped all public events like funerals, weddings, or birthday parties that might spread disease.
Cholera causes severe diarrhea through bacteria called Vibrio cholerae. People catch it by eating contaminated food or drinking dirty water. The disease can be prevented and treated effectively. Without treatment, it leads to dangerous dehydration that threatens lives. Quick, appropriate treatment cuts death rates below one percent.
Health rules from both the ministry and the World Health Organization consider just one lab-confirmed case with local transmission an outbreak. This triggers immediate action to protect public health. The Kunene Regional Directorate activated its emergency response plan. Health teams started looking for the infection source to prevent new cases.
Health workers doubled down on teaching community members about prevention and good hygiene habits. The WHO office in Namibia received immediate notification about the case. African countries currently report seventeen ongoing cholera outbreaks. This keeps the ministry extra alert with increased monitoring efforts across the region.
Major risk factors include drinking untreated water, poor handwashing, unsafe food handling, open bathroom practices, bad sanitation facilities, and living where floods happen. Nangombe urged everyone to boil or treat drinking water thoroughly. He stressed washing hands with soap and clean water before touching food and after bathroom visits.
The executive director also recommended storing food safely under proper covers. People should wash fruits and vegetables carefully with clean water before eating them. Using proper bathroom facilities helps prevent disease spread. These simple steps can protect families and communities from dangerous cholera infections.
Doctors gave her proper care following standard treatment guidelines. The staff collected a stool sample on March 3 and sent it for testing at a lab. Results came back on March 10, showing she definitely had cholera. She has already recovered completely and left the hospital in stable condition.
The health ministry immediately implemented strong public health measures. Their early investigation shows that the patient had never recently traveled outside Namibia and had no contact with anyone from foreign countries. Medical records show that she skipped all public events like funerals, weddings, or birthday parties that might spread disease.
Cholera causes severe diarrhea through bacteria called Vibrio cholerae. People catch it by eating contaminated food or drinking dirty water. The disease can be prevented and treated effectively. Without treatment, it leads to dangerous dehydration that threatens lives. Quick, appropriate treatment cuts death rates below one percent.
Health rules from both the ministry and the World Health Organization consider just one lab-confirmed case with local transmission an outbreak. This triggers immediate action to protect public health. The Kunene Regional Directorate activated its emergency response plan. Health teams started looking for the infection source to prevent new cases.
Health workers doubled down on teaching community members about prevention and good hygiene habits. The WHO office in Namibia received immediate notification about the case. African countries currently report seventeen ongoing cholera outbreaks. This keeps the ministry extra alert with increased monitoring efforts across the region.
Major risk factors include drinking untreated water, poor handwashing, unsafe food handling, open bathroom practices, bad sanitation facilities, and living where floods happen. Nangombe urged everyone to boil or treat drinking water thoroughly. He stressed washing hands with soap and clean water before touching food and after bathroom visits.
The executive director also recommended storing food safely under proper covers. People should wash fruits and vegetables carefully with clean water before eating them. Using proper bathroom facilities helps prevent disease spread. These simple steps can protect families and communities from dangerous cholera infections.
