Medicalstaff disinfect a patient's feet outside emergency treatment tentsat the Macurungo urban health center in Beira, Mozambique, onFriday, March 29, 2019. Cyclone Idai hit the Mozambican coastearlier this month, devastating the port city of Beira and killingat least 700 people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. (Photo:Guillem Sartorio/Bloomberg)

Updated 1:40 p.m. ET, April 2, 2019

Mozambique has confirmed more than 1,000 cases of cholera as anoutbreak of the water-borne disease spreads following a tropical cyclone last month which has killed atleast 518 people in the southeast African nation.

The number of cholera infections rose to 1,052 from 246 on March30, with most cases in the port city of Beira, the health ministrysaid on Monday. Almost 900,000 vaccine doses arrived in the cityTuesday and a vaccination campaign will begin immediately,according to the United Nations Children's Fund. The disease, whichcauses diarrhea and dehydration, can kill if untreated. At leastone person has so far died from it.

“We must do everything we can to protect the people ofMozambique from a disease outbreak or other health problems causedby lack of access to essential services,” Matshidiso Moeti, theWorld Health Organization's Africa director, said in a statementMonday after touring Beira. “The next few weeks are crucial andspeed is of the essence if we are to save lives and limitsuffering.”

One of the works weather-related disasters in Africanhistory

The outbreak is compounding what United NationsSecretary-General Antonio Guterres has described as one of theworst weather-related disasters in African history. More than 750people have died in flooding across Mozambique, Zimbabwe andMalawi.

Torrential rains that created an inland ocean the size ofLuxembourg also destroyed or damaged about 100,000 houses incentral Mozambique, according to the UN. At least 141,000 peopleare currently sheltering across 161 sites in affected areas asdamage to water and sanitation infrastructure in the port city ofBeira fuels concerns that the cholera outbreak may spread.

Mozambique has suffered cholera outbreaks in each of the lastsix years, according to the World Health Organization. BetweenAugust 2017 and February last year, 1,799 people were infected andone died.

In addition to fighting disease, with at least 281 cases ofmalaria confirmed in Beira and surrounding areas, the governmentand aid agencies are struggling to provide sufficient foodsupplies.

Damaged crops impact food prices

More than 669,903 hectares of crops have been damaged, a biggerarea than the U.S. state of Delaware, just as farmers werepreparing to harvest, according to the UN. Staple food prices morethan doubled after the cyclone, particularly for rice and corn, inthe central region, the Famine Early Warning Systems Networksaid.

Related: Damage from southern African cyclone may top $1billion, U.N. says

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