No Hungry Lion cholera risk here
The closure of some Hungry Lion outlets due to cholera will not have an impact on Namibian branches.
Namibia's 19 Hungry Lion fast food outlets are managed according to stringent health controls and are not at risk of following in the footsteps of three Zambian branches that were shut down this week after they tested positive for the bacterium that causes cholera.
News reports last week indicated that Zambian local government minister Vincent Mwale confirmed that inspectors had found contaminated food at three Hungry Lion branches in Lusaka, forcing their immediate closure.
Zambia is struggling to contain a widespread cholera outbreak which has led to 51 deaths nationwide, the majority in the capital Lusaka and more than 2 000 others infected. In a statement on Thursday, Zambia's Hungry Lion management stated that they had agreed “to implement additional measures in the fight against cholera to help our staff and customers combat the outbreak in Lusaka.”
The outlet confirmed that “after the clean-up and closures of all stores by the army in central Lusaka, we will add additional measures to improve hand-washing regimes and hand sanitising for our staff as well as our customers.”
In Namibia, Hungry Lion on Friday told Namibian Sun the Zambian outbreak does not pose a risk to Namibian branches, which are managed in strict compliance with relevant safety and health standards.
“Our branches are very well managed and supervised and are compliant with all health regulations,” Hungry Lion management confirmed.
In Zambia, the outbreak was initially attributed to contaminated water from shallow wells.
However, subsequently the spread of the deadly disease was linked to hygiene conditions in the restaurants and the manner in which employees from infected areas were handling the food, an African News Agency report stated. Hungry Lion Zambia on Thursday initially tweeted that they had “seen the serious allegation concerning our three Lusaka city stores and have set out a full investigation on the matter. You are our family and we take your health and safety very seriously!”
In a statement issued later on Facebook, the fast-food chain added that following meetings with authorities at the health ministry, the outlet wrote that “in addition to additional training for all our staff”, the stores should reopen in the next few days.
“These extra measures will help us keep our high standard of health and hygiene in our stores and provide a world class experience to the people of Lusaka.”
The disease has spread from densely populated areas of Lusaka with poor sanitation to lower-density areas.
Zambian president Edgar Lungu last week directed the military to help fight the spread of the waterborne disease.
Neighbouring Malawi has registered 157 cases and four deaths, its health minister said.
Cholera spreads rapidly and can kill within hours if not treated with oral rehydration, solutions and antibiotics. Symptoms include acute watery diarrhoea.
– Additional reporting by Nampa/Ana
JANA-MARI SMITH
News reports last week indicated that Zambian local government minister Vincent Mwale confirmed that inspectors had found contaminated food at three Hungry Lion branches in Lusaka, forcing their immediate closure.
Zambia is struggling to contain a widespread cholera outbreak which has led to 51 deaths nationwide, the majority in the capital Lusaka and more than 2 000 others infected. In a statement on Thursday, Zambia's Hungry Lion management stated that they had agreed “to implement additional measures in the fight against cholera to help our staff and customers combat the outbreak in Lusaka.”
The outlet confirmed that “after the clean-up and closures of all stores by the army in central Lusaka, we will add additional measures to improve hand-washing regimes and hand sanitising for our staff as well as our customers.”
In Namibia, Hungry Lion on Friday told Namibian Sun the Zambian outbreak does not pose a risk to Namibian branches, which are managed in strict compliance with relevant safety and health standards.
“Our branches are very well managed and supervised and are compliant with all health regulations,” Hungry Lion management confirmed.
In Zambia, the outbreak was initially attributed to contaminated water from shallow wells.
However, subsequently the spread of the deadly disease was linked to hygiene conditions in the restaurants and the manner in which employees from infected areas were handling the food, an African News Agency report stated. Hungry Lion Zambia on Thursday initially tweeted that they had “seen the serious allegation concerning our three Lusaka city stores and have set out a full investigation on the matter. You are our family and we take your health and safety very seriously!”
In a statement issued later on Facebook, the fast-food chain added that following meetings with authorities at the health ministry, the outlet wrote that “in addition to additional training for all our staff”, the stores should reopen in the next few days.
“These extra measures will help us keep our high standard of health and hygiene in our stores and provide a world class experience to the people of Lusaka.”
The disease has spread from densely populated areas of Lusaka with poor sanitation to lower-density areas.
Zambian president Edgar Lungu last week directed the military to help fight the spread of the waterborne disease.
Neighbouring Malawi has registered 157 cases and four deaths, its health minister said.
Cholera spreads rapidly and can kill within hours if not treated with oral rehydration, solutions and antibiotics. Symptoms include acute watery diarrhoea.
– Additional reporting by Nampa/Ana
JANA-MARI SMITH
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