Lentswe, Klerksdorp - One person has died as a result of cholera and there are 12 laboratory-confirmed cases since January in South Africa. The National Department of Health released these figures this week and issued a warning for the Vaal River, the main source of water for Gauteng and North West.
“The country has recorded more than 150 suspected cholera cases between January 1 and April 18,” said Foster Mohale, spokesperson National Department of Health.
“Eleven of these cases were recorded in Limpopo and one in Gauteng. Three of these cases are imported from Zimbabwe, with no definite history of contact with other confirmed cases. The person who died was a 48-year-old South African citizen from Musina, in Vhembe District. He experienced diarrhoeal symptoms and was admitted in hospital on March 16. He passed away on March 21 in a Pietersburg hospital.”
There are no deaths or confirmed cases in the NW.
Mohale said the risk of both imported cases and local transmission remains high due to the cross-border movements to and from both Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
He appealed to the organisers of social gatherings including religious and traditional events to ensure strict compliance with personal hygiene, including hand washing, especially during food preparation and serving, and ablution facilities to prevent possible transmission of cholera and other food borne and water-borne diseases.
In May last year 17 people died from cholera in the country.
