Seventeen people have died from Cholera in South Africa, the Department of Health reported on Wednesday. The department added that 10 more cases have been confirmed.
In a statement on Wednesday, MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said 165 patients had been seen at the Jubilee District Hospital, with 18 patients having been transferred to other medical facilities in Tshwane.
“The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera is standing at 29. To date, 17 people have passed on from the disease outbreak. Currently 67 patients are admitted due to gastrointestinal infection,” she said.
This comes following the department’s confirmation of a cholera outbreak at the weekend.
The MEC said that from May 15, some of the residents of Kanana, Suurman, Majaneng, Green Field, Carousel View, Lephengville and Sekampaneng were treated at the Jubilee District Hospital after they presented with cholera symptoms.
The department has urged people to ensure proper hand-hygiene which includes the thorough washing of hands with water and soap or alcohol-based sanitiser before handling food and after using the toilet.
In March, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases sounded the alarm following the confirmation of four cases. At the time, the NICD said that while there was an ongoing risk for imported cases following travel from other African countries experiencing cholera outbreaks, especially Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the increasing number of locally acquired indigenous cases was concerning.
What is cholera
Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water. It causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration. Left untreated, cholera can be fatal in a matter of hours, even in previously healthy people.
Cholera symptoms
- Profuse watery diarrhoea, sometimes described as “rice-water stools”
- Vomiting
- Thirst
- Leg cramps
- Restlessness or irritability
Treatment
The public is advised to visit their nearest health facility when they present with symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and dehydration.
Additional information: National Institute for Communicable Diseases and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
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