The health department is making progress in containing the spread of cholera while investigations into the cause of the outbreaks are ongoing.
The department said on Thursday national, provincial and district outbreak response teams have reached more than 300 contacts as part of case finding and contact tracing activities.
Other activities include health promotion and distribution of 3,000 hygiene packs donated by Unicef and Medecins Sans Frontieres to households and schools in the affected communities.
It said more than 600 people with suspected cholera symptoms have been seen in Gauteng and Free State hospitals so far.
The department said the setting up of a well-equipped temporary field health facility — the Kanana cholera treatment centre at the centre of the outbreak in Hammanskraal — has relieved pressure at Jubilee Hospital. The opening of the facility also contributed to improved health-seeking behaviour among community members with suspected cholera symptoms.
More than 200 people have been attended to at this makeshift hospital, which has been operating 24 hours a day since May 26.
The department said 166 laboratory-confirmed cases and 202 suspected cases of cholera had been recorded in five provinces between February 1 and June 6. Gauteng recorded 152 cases, Free State nine, the North West three and Limpopo and Mpumalanga recorded one case each.
The death toll stands at 31, with 29 deaths in Gauteng and one death each in the Free State and Mpumalanga
TimesLIVE
Health department outlines efforts to contain spread of cholera
Image: 123rf.com
The health department is making progress in containing the spread of cholera while investigations into the cause of the outbreaks are ongoing.
The department said on Thursday national, provincial and district outbreak response teams have reached more than 300 contacts as part of case finding and contact tracing activities.
Other activities include health promotion and distribution of 3,000 hygiene packs donated by Unicef and Medecins Sans Frontieres to households and schools in the affected communities.
It said more than 600 people with suspected cholera symptoms have been seen in Gauteng and Free State hospitals so far.
The department said the setting up of a well-equipped temporary field health facility — the Kanana cholera treatment centre at the centre of the outbreak in Hammanskraal — has relieved pressure at Jubilee Hospital. The opening of the facility also contributed to improved health-seeking behaviour among community members with suspected cholera symptoms.
More than 200 people have been attended to at this makeshift hospital, which has been operating 24 hours a day since May 26.
The department said 166 laboratory-confirmed cases and 202 suspected cases of cholera had been recorded in five provinces between February 1 and June 6. Gauteng recorded 152 cases, Free State nine, the North West three and Limpopo and Mpumalanga recorded one case each.
The death toll stands at 31, with 29 deaths in Gauteng and one death each in the Free State and Mpumalanga
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