Blantyre City Council (BCC) has with immediate effect banned the selling and distribution of ready-to-eat unwrapped foods.

Mayor of the city Wild Ndipo has announced the news in a statement made available to faceofmalawi.

The ban is aimed at controlling the spreading of cholera in the city and comes at a time cholera figures in Blantyre City are soaring.

“Food items that have been banned include doughnuts, cooked cassava, potatoes, fritters, roasted maize and sweet beer,” said Councillor Ndipo.

Blantyre has registered 963 cases of cholera with 37 deaths and 62 hospital admissions.