Mpumalanga records first cholera death
14 January 2009
Mpumalanga department of Health has recorded one cholera death.
It is suspected that a couple residing at Pankop village in the
Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality arrived after a visit to Zimbabwe
on the 31 December 2008.
On 2nd January 2009, they both started vomiting, followed by painless
watery diarrhea. They only went to Pankop clinic on the 4 January 2009
and they were both transferred to Mmametlhake Hospital. The female patient
unfortunately died on the 5 January 2009. The male patient was discharged on
the 7 January 2009.
Tests done on these two cases and received from the National Health Laboratory (NHLS)
on the 9th January 2009, confirmed that the female suspected Cholera case was positive.
The result for the male patient (husband) is negative.
Strategies put in place
The Department has already put on high alert all facilities especially in the Dr JS Moroka
Local Municipality to do daily listing of all diarrhea cases and be forwarded to Head Office
on a daily basis for thorough monitoring.
All facilities have been instructed to do stool sampling or rectal swabs for every diarrhea
case that fits the case definition of the present National Cholera Outbreak.
Health Promotion Teams in Dr JS Moroka commenced has been deployed to do extensive cholera
and diarrhea prevention and hygiene promotion. Information and capacity is provided on home
purification methods, sugar/salt solution, good hygiene practices, proper use of toilets and
hand washing practices utilizing stickers and training flipcharts.
Door-to-door campaign will be carried out in all hotspot areas advocating the above mentioned
messages. The teams will continue with their interventions until further notice.
The Environmental Health Unit with assistance from Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
team has been instructed to do water samples on a regular basis and the Provincial Surveillance
task team has been set up to closely monitor the situation and give support when necessary.
Issued by Department of Health in Mpumalanga
For more information
Contact
Mpho Gabashane
082 802 4937
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