The cholera outbreak that has been affecting some countries in the southern African region since the end of last year has caused the deaths of a total of 37 people in Mozambique, the Minister of Health announced yesterday.

The victims are among the 5,260 cases recorded by the Mozambican authorities, at a time when the country is going through a period marked by "water-borne diseases" due to the rainy season, explained Armindo Tiago.

He was speaking at a press conference called to take stock of the visit of a high-level delegation from the World Polio Eradication Initiative, a team also made up of the Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti.

"The cholera cases are taking place at a time when the country has already received vaccines and is preparing to start a vaccination campaign from the 26th of this month," he said, quoted by Lusa.

The ambition is to reach just over 700,000 people in eight districts in the provinces of Niassa, Sofala, Zambézia and Gaza, Armindo Tiago added.

The minister also reinforced the call for vigilance among communities, pointing out that the country is preparing for the approach of a tropical storm.

"In view of the possibility that the country will be affected in the coming days by a tropical depression or cyclone, I appeal to the readiness of the health response teams," he concluded.

Outbreaks of cholera and other diarrheal diseases occur seasonally in Mozambique during the rainy season.