The Gauteng health department has reported that the death toll in the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, has now reached 12.
Hammanskraal cholera outbreak: Here’s the latest death toll update
As reported by News24, two more fatalities occurred overnight, while seven individuals remain hospitalised. Since Monday, 15 May 2023, around 95 people have sought treatment for diarrheal disease.
The outbreak was confirmed after stool specimens from 19 patients at Jubilee District Hospital tested positive for cholera, exhibiting symptoms such as diarrhoea, stomach cramps, and nausea.
Motalatale Modiba, spokesperson for the health department, emphasised the importance of seeking medical attention at the nearest clinic for individuals experiencing symptoms.
He also urged the public to practice proper hand hygiene, particularly when handling food, and to disinfect surfaces at home. Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink is scheduled to visit the hospital today.
Over the past week, the healthcare facility has been receiving patients from Suurman, Kanana, Majaneng, and Greenfield. In response to the outbreak, the City of Tshwane advised residents to refrain from drinking tap water and recommended using bleach to clean water containers.
Furthermore, religious activities, such as baptisms in rivers or streams, were discouraged.
The City assured residents that regular water quality tests were being conducted, with comprehensive tests on the entire water distribution network expected to provide further insights by Wednesday.
Confirmatory test results from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) are eagerly awaited to determine the cause of the outbreak.
As of Sunday, the cumulative number of positive cholera cases rose to 37.
Four additional cases were detected in Gauteng, while the Vredefort and Parys areas in the Free State reported seven cases.
On Monday, 22 May 2023, tensions erupted outside Jubilee Hospital, where infuriated Hammanskraal residents confronted Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink over the City’s delayed response to the state of water.
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