Malaria cases shot up across Zimbabwe this year. Health officials report almost 60,000 people caught the disease compared to about 21,000 last year. Deaths jumped from 45 to 143 during the same time. Heavy rains created more places for mosquitoes to breed. People working outdoors in mining or farming face a greater risk.
The government distributes treated bed nets and medicine, and test kits to rural areas to fight the problem. Officials need 600,000 more nets after America stopped paying for them. Most sick people live in three main areas where mining occurs. Young children make up about one in seven of all cases.
Health workers tell everyone with a fever or headaches to visit a clinic right away. Climate change makes the mosquito season last longer each year. Mining sites without proper permits create more water pools where mosquitoes lay eggs. The country sees 115 separate outbreaks happening at once. Only 23 of these outbreaks have been stopped so far.
The government distributes treated bed nets and medicine, and test kits to rural areas to fight the problem. Officials need 600,000 more nets after America stopped paying for them. Most sick people live in three main areas where mining occurs. Young children make up about one in seven of all cases.
Health workers tell everyone with a fever or headaches to visit a clinic right away. Climate change makes the mosquito season last longer each year. Mining sites without proper permits create more water pools where mosquitoes lay eggs. The country sees 115 separate outbreaks happening at once. Only 23 of these outbreaks have been stopped so far.
