JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- A total of 26 people have been killed and 4,700 others affected by cholera in Mozambique since the outbreak last December, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

    Spokesman Michael Klaus said the outbreak had prompted the organization to intensify its preventative and treatment programs in the country with a total population of 18.8 million.

    The areas affected by the illness include Gaza, Sofala, Zambezia, Nampula and Maputo City, which has the highest prevalence.

    He said the Chorela Treatment Center in Mavalane received more than 500 new patients over the weekend, 300 being children under the age of seven.

    "The prevention activities are key to limit the impact of the current outbreak and UNICEF is supporting the door-to-door information campaign," said Klaus.

    UNICEF has been supporting government institutions in pre-positioning emergency supplies including cholera prevention and response equipment.

    This included consumables, such as water bladders, chlorine, cleaning tools and hygiene education materials.

    "We need more health workers and other staff at these centers, and more support to those already working there, because they are overwhelmed by the increase of cases", said Klaus.

    UNICEF has also been supporting radio discussions on cholera prevention, broadcast by the child-to-child-radio network of RadioMozambique. Enditem