The Department of Health has issued a notice to the public to exercise caution and maintain proper hand hygiene in response to the concerning rise of laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera in two provinces of South Africa.
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Around 100 residents from Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, have presented symptoms of cholera in the past few days after drinking tap water, and 12 people, including a 3-year-old have died from the diarrhoeal disease.
The water in the Free State is currently being tested due to the confirmation of at least six cases of cholera in the region. Approximately 70 individuals have presented symptoms including diarrhoea, cramps, nausea and vomiting.
As reported by News24, by Sunday, 21 May 2023, the number of confirmed cholera cases in the country had risen to 37, with new cases identified in Gauteng and the Free State province.
The health MEC for the Free State, Mathabo Leeto, said, ‘Following the identification of the first laboratory-confirmed case in the Free State on Wednesday, 17 May, the province, district, and local area Outbreak Response Teams were activated and included the Local and District municipality and supported by World Health Organisation (WHO) and National Institute on Communicable Diseases (NICD).’
‘These teams were already in the district since the 8 May 2023 after the Communicable Disease District coordinator from Fezile Dabi District was notified of the rapid, sudden increase of diarrhoea cases in Ngwathe Local Municipality area.’
‘The Free State is in the most vulnerable position as it is in the centre of the country surrounded by six provinces (Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, North West and the Kingdom of Lesotho,’ said Leeto.
He added that with five national roads (N1, N3, N5, N6, and N8) connecting our country to the Kingdom of Lesotho, it is crucial to remain vigilant as we are susceptible to the impact of events occurring in our vicinity.
To mitigate the risk of infection, members of the public are strongly advised to steer clear of known or suspected contaminated food, water and surfaces. Thoroughly washing hands with soap before handling food or after using the bathroom is paramount to preventing potential transmission. It is crucial to avoid drinking water from unsafe sources unless it has been properly boiled.
The Department of Health stated, ‘The provincial and district outbreak response teams in both provinces have been dispatched to the affected communities to further investigate the source of the outbreaks, and intensify health education and promotion to empower the community members with health information. The department will keep the country informed of the developments and findings of the investigations.’
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