Namacunde – A total of 102 cases of bronchitis were registered from last January to February, eight more compared to the same period of 2008, by health authorities of Chiedi commune, Namacunde district, in southern Cunene province.

According to the head of Chiedi's health post, Edvirges Hambeleleni, the cases increased because of the floods that the province has been recording, as bronchitis is a disease that usually appears during the rainy season.

He explained that during the same period, the aforementioned authorities also registered six cases of scabies, 35 of diarrhoea and 11 bacterium conjunctivitis.   

Edvirges Hambeleleni stated that for the prevention of this disease, the sector has been carrying out awareness campaigns together with the community in order to prevent various endemic diseases, through giving information on the care with environmental hygiene, as well as the frequent use of mosquito nets.

Chiedi commune, one of the first to be effected by the floods, is situated at 59 kilometres from Ondjiva, provincial capital, comprises three villages with 52,111 inhabitants who are dedicated to agriculture and trade.