The Gauteng Department of Health has confirmed a cholera outbreak in the area of Hammanskraal, north of the City of Tshwane.
PRETORIA – The Gauteng Department of Health has confirmed a cholera outbreak in the area of Hammanskraal, north of the City of Tshwane.
“This comes after laboratory results of stool specimen of 19 people who presented at Jubilee District Hospital with symptoms of diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea confirmed that it is cholera,” according to Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba.
Since Monday until Sunday, authorities said 95 people from Kanana, Suurman, Majaneng, Green Field, Carousel View, Lephengville and Sekampaneng had been seen at the Jubilee District Hospital with similar symptoms.
“Currently, there are 37 people admitted at the hospital with cholera symptoms and unfortunately, 10 people have demised. The 10 people who died includes a three-year-old and nine adults,” Modiba said.
On Sunday, the Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, visited the hospital with the City of Tshwane’s MMC for Health, Rina Marx, to get an update. The senior officials were also implementing intervention in terms of increasing response capacity at the Jubilee Hospital.
Nkomo-Ralehoko said the provincial department has availed two additional wards to accommodate patients who could not be immediately admitted on arrival at Jubilee Hospital.
“We have also mobilised additional resources which include medical and nursing staff from surrounding hospitals and local clinics to improve capacity for the growing need for medical care. Furthermore, additional linen has been delivered from the provincial laundry to activate the extra beds,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
She said the provincial, district and municipal outbreak response teams continue to do advocacy work to raise awareness among communities.
“Already, the teams conducted have engaged with churches, local training institutions and various media platforms, as well as loud hailing in the affected areas,” Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
After arriving at Jubilee Hospital, the provincial MEC and the Tshwane MMC have engaged with concerned political parties, councillors and community leaders in the area who committed to assist with community education.
Nkomo-Ralehoko has urged the public to take extra precautionary measures and maintain proper hand hygiene.
“We would like to reiterate and urge the public to avoid known or suspected contaminated food, water and surfaces and wash hands thoroughly with soap before handling food or after using the bathroom to prevent possible infection.
“It is also important that people never drink water from unsafe sources such as rivers, dams, streams, unless boiled or disinfected,” she said.
The City of Tshwane has issued a notice, urging communities in and around Hammanskraal to avoid drinking tap water. Tshwane is supplying water tankers to the Jubilee Hospital and surrounding communities.
The Gauteng Department of Health said it has also engaged national departments of Water and Sanitation and Human Settlements to add additional capacity to support the Tshwane municipality with water infrastructure and related issues.
Community members have been advised to report to their nearest health facilities when they present with symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and dehydration symptoms, so they can receive treatment.
Marx said the city will mobilise additional resources in the form of social workers to provide counselling and social relief for the affected families.
From Sunday, the Gauteng province had 19 new confirmed cases of cholera from Hammanskraal, with 10 deaths.
