cholera

Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera. Image: Creative Commons/Tom Kirn, Ron Taylor, Louisa Howard – Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility.

Cholera Outbreak: City sends more water tankers to Hammanskraal – here’s where

The source of a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, Tshwane remains a mystery as at least 15 people have died.

cholera

Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera. Image: Creative Commons/Tom Kirn, Ron Taylor, Louisa Howard – Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility.

At least 15 people have died of cholera in Hammanskraal, Tshwane, as of Tuesday, 23 May. The source of the contamination is yet to be established.

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SOURCE OF CHOLERA OUTBREAK REMAINS UNKNOWN

On Monday, City of Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink said the City tested tap water in the Temba and Hammanskraal areas for cholera, and E.Coli and the results came back negative.

However, Brink said that despite the results, residents in the area must continue to treat the water as unsafe for human consumption.

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The City is also awaiting test results from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to determine the source of the contamination.

CITY TO SEND MORE TANKERS TO AFFECTED AREAS

On Tuesday, the Tshwane Human Settlements Department announced it would increase the number of water tankers supplied to Hammanskraal amid the outbreak.

Water tankers will go from being available for three days to five days a week in the affected area until 31 May 2023.

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“The City will then assess the need to continue with the increased days. The allotted days for the provision of water tankers are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday,” said Human Settlements MMC, Ofentse Madzebatela.

TimesLive reported that some communities had blamed the water dispensed by tankers for the outbreak.

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Water tankers will be available in the following areas:

  • Bridgeview
  • Chris Hani Block G (Erf 3742 and 10442, Kudube Unit 10)
  • Hammanskraal Ext 2 (Erf 3503)
  • Hammanskraal West Ext 10
  • Hammanskraal West Ext 4 (Portion 9 and 10 and Sekampaneng)
  • Kudube Unit 9 (Hammanskraal Portion 9)
  • Nkandla (Stinkwater area)
  • Phomolong (Suurman Ridge)
  • Prestige
  • Soutpan/Marikana (New Eesterus Ext 8, 9, 10 and 11), Hammanskraal
  • Steve Biko

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