The death toll in a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, has risen to 12. Two of the victims are children with the youngest being three. The Department of Health spokesperson in Gauteng Motalatale Modiba said this comes after laboratory results of stool specimens of 19 people who presented at Jubilee District Hospital with symptoms of diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea confirmed that it is cholera.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Modiba said 95 people from Kanana, Suurman, Majaneng, Green Field, Carousel View, Lephengville and Sekampaneng areas in Hammanskraal had been seen at the Jubilee District Hospital with similar symptoms since last week Monday. "Currently, there are 37 people admitted to the hospital with cholera symptoms and unfortunately, 12 people have died. The 12 people who died include a 3-year-old and nine adults," Modiba added. Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said they have made two additional wards available to accommodate more patients. "We have made available more resources which include medical and nursing staff from surrounding hospitals and local clinics," she said.
AVOID TAP WATER
The City of Tshwane has urged communities in Hammanskraal and surrounding areas to avoid drinking water from their taps as it is deemed unsafe for human consumption. "While the water supplied by the city in Hammanskraal is not potable, however, the city does provide potable (drinkable) water through 52 water tankers to informal settlements three times a week, and 40 water trucks to formal areas daily in Region 2," Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said. "This is done to ensure that communities drink safe water. The city regularly conducts tests on the quality of water provided to our communities, and following this outbreak, comprehensive tests will be done on the entire water distribution network." The City of Tshwane has encouraged residents in the affected areas to regularly wash the containers they used to draw water from the water tankers, with a Jik detergent, and to boil water drawn from other sources before drinking it. "Communities are also urged not to conduct religious activities such as baptism in the rivers or streams," said Bokaba.
OFFICIALS TO VISIT THE AREA
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, and the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo together with Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nkomo-Ralehoko will this morning conduct a site visit in Hammanskraal. In a joint statement, the government officials said the purpose of the visit is to monitor the situation and undertake government intervention in response to a cholera outbreak in the area. "The government leaders will use this opportunity to visit the patients and also interact with community stakeholders on the short-term methods to prevent further spread, whilst the government is working on a long-lasting solution to address the supply and water quality crisis in Hammanskraal and neighbouring areas," the statement read.
