Water shortages in Harare, Zimbabwe have led to a typhoid outbreak.

The water crisis has resulted in many residents seeking alternative water sources. Most people have become reliant on borehole water, much of which is contaminated.28 cases of typhoid have now been reported – 13 of them in Harare. With school having begun, many fear a further spread of the highly contagious water-borne disease.

The US group Human Rights Watch produced a report on the water situation in Harare last year. The report found that leaks in both the water and sewerage system meant that tap water that did not flow could easily mix with sewage.

This has been an on-going problem for Zimbabwe. Over December residents in most high-density suburbs were without water and there were several reported cases of dysentery in October.