Typhoid scare at Masvingo school

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A SUSPECTED typhoid outbreak hit the Roman Catholic Church-run Silveira High School in Bikita, Masvingo Province leaving 15 students and two cooks hospitalised on Monday.

A SUSPECTED typhoid outbreak hit the Roman Catholic Church-run Silveira High School in Bikita, Masvingo Province leaving 15 students and two cooks hospitalised on Monday.

By Tatenda Chitagu

The outbreak was detected after a pupil fell ill and his parents took him to Morgenster Mission Hospital where he tested positive, sources at the school said. However, Masvingo acting provincial medical director, Amadeus Shamhu, said all the suspected cases had tested negative to the disease.

“We have heard such reports, but as far as we are concerned, we do not have any suspected outbreak of the disease. What happened is there was a case that went to Morgenster Mission Hospital which was treated as case of typhoid but was not confirmed,” he said.

“Authorities from Silveira did tests at their mission hospital on people who were not affected but just that they were in contact.

“It is not specific. You can test on other people and they come up positive but it does not mean they have the disease. “Tests can only be confirmed in Harare.”

Masvingo provincial education director, Zed Chitiga could not be reached for comment as he said he was in a series of meetings yesterday.