Tshwane to test water tests in Hammanskraal as cholera outbreak bites
“To date, 12 people have been confirmed dead, 99 are being managed at the emergency unit and 37 have been admitted to wards.”
Tshwane will test water drawn from fire hydrants and inspect the cleanliness of water tankers.
This follows an outbreak of cholera in Hammanskraal, declared by the Gauteng health department, which has claimed at least 17 lives.
“The purpose of the tests is to inspect the cleanliness of water provided to people,” said metro spokesperson Selby Bokaba.
“A team of Tshwane environmental health practitioners will run the tests.”
The average period to get the test results of sampled water from laboratories is three days.
“Initially, the sampling of water was going to be confined to the Rooiwal hydrant only, and a decision was taken to expand it to all the hydrants and water tankers supplying water to both the informal and formal areas in Hammanskraal.
“The tests will also be done on the Temba waste water treatment plant,” he said.
METRO TO INTENSIFY SAFETY CAMPAIGNS FOR CHOLERA OUTBREAK
The metro will intensify its food safety campaign, which includes, but is not limited to, how to hygienically prepare, transport and store food in Hammanskraal.
Bokaba said cholera was confirmed after 19 patients at Jubilee hospital were tested.
“The Gauteng department of health announced the outbreak of cholera, after the release of the laboratory results of stool samples.
“The samples collected from 19 patients, who had presented at Jubilee hospital, tested positive for cholera.”
Bokaba said Tshwane is working with Gauteng health department to limit the mortality rate.
“To date, 12 people have been confirmed dead, 99 are being managed at the emergency unit and 37 have been admitted to wards.
“We are working to reduce the spread of the disease,” Bokaba told Rekord.
AREAS AFFECTED BY CHOLERA OUTBREAK
The following informal areas to which the city provides rudimentary services have been affected by the cholera outbreak:
– Hammanskraal West ext. 10
– Phomolong (Suurman Ridge)
– Soutpan/Marikana (New Eersterus ext. 8,9,10 & 11), Hammanskraal
– Kudube Unit 10 Erf 10442 Chris Hani
– Chris Hani Block G (Kudube Unit 10 Erf 3742)
– Bridgeview
– Hammanskraal West ext. 4 Sekampaneng
– Hammanskraal ext. 2 Erf 3503
– Nkandla (Stinkwater area)
– Hammanskraal West ext. 4 portion 9 & 10)
– Steve Biko
REFRAIN FROM DRINKING TAP WATER
Tshwane is urging communities to refrain from drinking tap water.
“The city conducts tests quarterly on the quality of water provided to our communities.
“Following this outbreak, comprehensive tests will be done on the entire water distribution network,” he said.
Bokaba said the outbreak response teams (ORT) are on the ground conducting surveillance monitoring, sampling and field investigations.
He urged communities to go to the nearest health facility immediately when they experience symptoms.
“Health facilities are on high alert to urgently attend to the patients with symptoms.
“The metro is eagerly awaiting the confirmatory test results from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to determine the actual source of contamination,” Bokaba said.
“The metro would like to encourage residents in the affected areas to regularly wash the containers they use to collect water from the water tankers with bleach detergent.
“They must boil water drawn from other sources before drinking it,” he continued.
Communities are also urged not to conduct religious activities such as baptism in the rivers or streams.
** article amended
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