- Four young lives already lost to diarrhea in the district
- MoH encourages high standards of hygiene for prevention
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Tutume District is grappling with the outbreak of diarrhoea that has already claimed four lives of children.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has confirmed the outbreak of the disease in the district and the four lives lost.
Said MoH spokesman, Dr Christopher Nyanga: “We have been experiencing an increasing number of diarrhoea cases since the beginning of this month, especially diarrhoea with dehydration.”
Children under 10
However, Dr Nyanga said the outbreak of diarrhoea in Tutume is not surprising because Botswana usually experiences it at this time of year.
“The country is now in the diarrhoea season and we encourage parents to maintain high standards of hygiene,” he said.
“We further advise parents to seek medical attention immediately when their children show signs of fever, dehydration, weakness or just generally being unwell.”
Diarrhoea mainly affects children below the age of 10. The diseases are commonly caused by bacteria that spread via contaminated food or drinking water, or from person-to-person as a result of improper hygiene.
Dehydration
Diarrhoeal diseases usually lead to dehydration as water and electrolytes are lost. Among others, symptoms of diarrhoea include loss of body fluids, stomach pains, swelling of the stomach and frequent visit to the bathroom and fever.
Maintaining high standards of hygiene as a means of reducing the risk of contracting diarrhoeal diseases includes washing hands with soap before handling food, always covering food to avoid contact with flies, disposing of stools safely in toilets and cleaning surroundings frequently.