Speaking at a Maputo press conference, the National Health Director, Mouzinho Saide, pointed out that heavy rains have often led to the contamination of water supplies by faecal matter - which is the classic way in which cholera is spread.
Cholera has become endemic in Mozambique, and so every year there are outbreaks, usually in the rainy season.
Saide warned against complacency. Currently there are no known cases of cholera in Mozambique, but that was no reason for citizens to let their guard down.
"We must step up measures to prevent this disease", said Saide. "Cholera costs many lives, and containing and treating it consumes a great deal of resources".
Thus to cope with the 2005/06 outbreaks the country spent a million US dollars on purchasing medicines and other equipment to treat cholera victims.
The best way to prevent cholera, Saide insisted, is through improved sanitation, including the construction and use of improved latrines, and better individual and collective hygiene.
He called for permanent efforts to instil good hygiene habits among the public - such as washing one's hands after using the latrine and before eating, washing uncooked foods before consuming them, and treating all drinking water.
In 2006, 6,306 cases of cholera were notified in the northern province of Nampula, and the central provinces of Sofala, Manica and Zambezia. Of theses cases, 29 died - which is a lethality rate of 0.5 per cent.
This is a huge improvement on the major cholera epidemic of 1997, when there was a lethality rate of 3.7 per cent. The maximum acceptable lethality rate, said Saide, is one per cent.
The Health Ministry's figures are that from 2000 up to today there have been 107,524 cases of cholera in Mozambique, resulting in 1,181 deaths - a lethality rate of 1.1 per cent.
SOURCE: AIM
