As of Jan. 24, the cholera outbreak that started in February 2023 had killed 452 people and infected a total of 20,446 in the Zimbabwe, the nation’s health ministry said.
About half of the cases involved children, the ministry added.
Zimbabwe will receive a total of 2.3 million vaccine doses from UNICEF and the World Health Organization to be deployed to 29 of the hardest-hit districts. More than 892,000 doses have already been dispatched, the health ministry said.
The cholera vaccine roll-out campaign was launched in Kuwadzana, a township located about 15 kilometers from central Harare.
Health workers administered the first vaccines to schoolchildren amid calls for participation by residents.
The workers have also started a door-to-door campaign where they offer vaccines to households.
Cholera is spread by contaminated food or water and often occurs in crowded urban areas with poor sanitation facilities.
The campaign uses the Euvichol-Plus vaccine, produced by EuBiologics.
The vaccine is administered orally and prevents cholera infections for at least six months.
In November, the Zimbabwean government attempted to curb a spike in Cholera cases by restricting public gatherings and food vending. Authorities in the southern African nation also monitored burials in areas affected by the disease.
"The introduction of the cholera vaccine is another tool to prevent the further spread of the disease," the health ministry said.
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