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Cholera outbreak kills 3 in western Tanzania -- official

ARUSHA, Tanzania, Jan. 1 (PNA/Xinhua) -- Three people have died in western Tanzania's district of Tanganyika following a fresh cholera outbreak, an official said on Saturday.

Salehe Mhando, Tanganyika District Commissioner said Karema Division, which is located on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika has recorded a total of 91 cholera cases.

Mhando who is also the district's disaster committee chairperson said in a telephone interview that the first case was diagnosed on Dec. 9 in Kapalamsenga ward.

"So far, the cholera outbreak has affected four wards in Karema Division, which include Kapalamsenga, Isengule, Ikola, and Karema," he said.

The official explained for the past three weeks, 67 out of 91 have been treated.

Mhando cited lack of toilets as one of the causes of the disease, taking into account that most of the households have no such facilities as some relieve themselves into the lake and other water bodies.

"The challenge is some people prefer to use water from the lake rather than using piped water...that's why we're linking the situation with the cholera outbreak in this area," he said.

He, however, said that the district authorities have put in place several measures against the waterborne disease including banning people from using water directly from the lake for cooking, bathing, drinking and instead they should use piped water. The campaign is supervised by village leaders, who have set hefty penalties for defaulters.

He also said that health officials have been dispatched in villages to sensitize villagers on the need for them to build and properly use toilet facilities in households as well as urge them to maintain hygiene in their respective areas.

Mhando said the government has also banned all public gathering like funerals, weddings, and businesses which operated in undesignated areas. (PNA/Xinhua)

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