BREAKING NEWS – Health confirms a case of cholera in Limpopo

A case of cholera has been confirmed in the Alldays area where a Zimbabwean migrant farm worker has been diagnosed with the disease..
The affected individual is believed to have visited his country recently and upon return visited Alldays clinic with acute watery diarrhoea and vomiting. He was then transferred to Helena Franz Hospital for further supervision, according to Department of Health Spokesperson Neil Shikwambana.
He indicated that upon performing laboratory checks on specimens taken from the patient last Thursday, a case of cholera was confirmed on Sunday. The clinical isolate has been sent to the National Institute for Communicable Disease’s Centre for Enteric disease for further analysis, he stated.
The department has activated the District Outbreak Response Team and acted promptly following notification to conduct further epidemiological and environmental investigation at the farm and all possible risk areas, Shikwambana explained. He added that the patient was in a stable condition receiving treatment at the hospital.
“We urge the communities to be vigilant and practice proper hygiene and sanitation practices such as washing hands with soap and running water after visiting the toilet and before eating. It is also important to wash vegetables and fruit before consumption and one should drink water from a safe source or boil first. People should also ensure that food is thoroughly cooked,” Shikwambana stressed.
He further cautioned that cholera can affect people of any age and symptoms include sudden watery diarrhoea with or without vomiting or severe dehydration. The department calls upon anyone experiencing any of these symptoms to quickly visit the nearest health facility for medical examination, Shikwambana concluded.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za