Govt extends Luapula fish ban  to contain cholera outbreak

Fri, 24 Mar 2017 13:17:41 +0000

By OSCAR MALIPENGA

GOVERNMENT has extended indefinitely the fishing ban on Lake Mweru-Luapula fisheries following an outbreak of cholera and the declaration of a cholera epidemic by the Ministry of Health in the lakeshore districts of Chiengi and Nchelenge.

Minister of Fisheries and Livestock Michael Katambo told Parliament that following the declaration of cholera in the area, the Mweru-Luapula fishery area will remain closed to stop the spread of the disease.

Delivering a ministerial statement, Mr. Katambo said the fishing ban would be lifted once the cholera outbreak was contained and the Ministry of Health declared the two lakeshore districts free of cholera.

“The House is aware, my ministry conducts an annual fishing ban from 1st December to the last day of February. The last fishing ban came to an end on 1st March, 2017,” Mr. Katambo said.

Meanwhile, in a separate ministerial statement, Mr. Katambo informed Parliament that his ministry has contained the outbreak of anthrax in Western Province.

Anthrax is a disease that affects all warm blooded animals and without treatment it results in high mortality.

Mr. Katambo said the outbreak was reported in November, 2016, and affected five districts of Limulunga, Nalolo, Kalabo, Shangombo and Sioma.

He said 46 cattle died while 67 people contracted the disease, out of which two died.

“I would like to inform this august House that the sum total of these interventions and the good rains that allowed grass to grow led to the containment of the outbreak in cattle in the shortest space of time.

“I further wish to thank all the men and women that participated in containing the outbreak,” Mr. Katambo said.