By Own Correspondent| At least 5 members of the Johane Marange Apostolic sect died from cholera in Murehwa after rejecting medical assistance after contacting the disease.

Thus was revealed by Murewa district administrator Gumburayi Wadzvanya in a letter dated January 8 which was written to the provincial administrator Tarubarira Kutamahufa.

The letter, which confirmed the suspected cholera cases read in part:

“The Ministry of Health has received a report from the head of Nyamutumbu Primary School, Mr Magora, of probable cases of cholera in Mavhurume 2 village in ward 11 of Murewa district.

It was reported that there were five people who had symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting who had died. Three of them died at Chitsidzo of Johane Marange apostolic sect in the village and two of them died at Murewa Hospital.

Murewa Hospital has since activated an emergency team, which was sent to assess the situation on the ground. The team, comprising representatives from the community nursing departments, laboratory departments and environmental health departments, visited the village in question.

The same sect lost three members to cholera in 2018 after it barred health officials from visiting the shrine. The church gathering was later banned as a result.”-Newsday