Juno Thomas News Today

KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said they do not want cholera to hit the province and be found that the department is not ready.

News and Press Release in English on South Africa about Health and Epidemic; published on 25 May 2023 by Govt. South Africa

Recent reports show that more than 20 people have died of cholera.

The Department of Health has announced that the number of deaths related to the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, has soared to 20.

The head of the Centre for Enteric Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Dr Juno Thomas, said 20% of those infected with cholera - caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, which develops into acute watery diarrhoea and most patients may vomit, while fever is mostly absent.

Response teams were probing the extent of the outbreak and health ports of entry officials have been alerted.

The Gauteng Department of Health says the number of people, who have lost their lives following a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, now stands at 17.

National Institute for Communicable Diseases has advised laboratory employees to test patients if they notice a single symptom.

Health experts have raised concerns about the ongoing cholera outbreak in southern Africa, saying there's a high possibility of continued importation of cases. This was revealed during a cholera outbreak webinar on Tuesday organised by the Department of Health.

Experts are advising healthcare workers to treat all diarrhoea cases as suspected Cholera until proven otherwise.