‘Cholera outbreak could spread to other provinces’ – Phaahla

Health Minister Joe Phaahla has warned that cholera could spread to other provinces. The minister made this announcement on Wednesday while giving an update on the Hammanskraal cholera outbreak.

The outbreak has been mainly in Gauteng and the Free State, with cases now presenting themselves in Mpumalanga and the North West.

ALSO READ: Cholera claims first victim in Mpumalanga, death toll reaches 25

The minister revealed that the current outbreak of Cholera disease in the country could be traced from the first two cases reported by Gauteng Province on 5 February 2023. This is the case of two sisters from Diepsloot in Johannesburg who had travelled together by bus to Malawi in January and returned on 30 January 2023.

Go to the nearest health facility as soon as you realise that you have diarrhea. It is critical to access treatment early to prevent being severely dehydrated, which might lead to death #preventcholera pic.twitter.com/LoY6MDnZa8

— National Department of Health (@HealthZA) May 31, 2023

ALSO READ: Cholera outbreak: Two cases detected in North West

FREE STATE CASES

The cases in the Free State presented themselves with over 170 cases of diarrhoea. Eight people died, with one confirmed to have cholera.

“Unfortunately, due to the fact that some of the patients presented at clinics where conditions were not adequate to can take specimen for laboratory, this was not done. Eight patients had died from diarrhoea, two at home and three each at Parys and Boitumelo hospitals and that laboratory tests were outstanding. Subsequently, laboratory tests confirmed only one of the eight deaths as confirmed cholera”, says Phaahla.

ALSO READ: The death toll from Cholera in SA rises to 22

According to a report from the Free State Province, the water sources were tested, but the tests were deemed non-compliant of high nitrate content, which is apparently due to too much chloroform.

The most important thing to prevent cholera deaths is for anyone with symptoms of severe watery diarrhoea to DRINK oral rehydration solution as soon as they become ill, and to immediately GO to a health facility #CholeraOutbreak #oralrehydrationsolution pic.twitter.com/DP5rmvTNH8

— National Department of Health (@HealthZA) May 30, 2023

HAMMANSKRAAL OUTBREAK

With 17 deaths in a week, Hammanskraal has become the epicentre of the outbreak, with an average of 23 patients presenting themselves at health facilities daily.

ALSO READ: Cholera detected in samples taken by AfriForum in Vaal river

Phaahla says they have created field clinics and specialised wards to focus on patients presenting with cholera symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhoea.

“Intervention includes the creation of Special cholera and gastroenteritis wards, the deployment of specialist gastroenteritis physician to Jubilee, the fast-tracking of laboratory results and the setting up of a field hospital/clinic with the deployment of additional health personnel”, he adds.

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