The Gauteng Department of Health wishes to confirm that two new additional cases of Typhoid have been reported in the province. These were confirmed yesterday afternoon on Monday, 25 January 2016 at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in the Tshwane district.
A 38-year-old Zimbabwean female patient, who resides in Centurion, presented in the said hospital on Thursday, 21 January 2016 with four days history of fever. She was said to be quite confused on arrival in the hospital. The patient who was referred from Centurion Clinic had travelled home to Zimbabwe two weeks ago and had just returned to South Africa.
It was initially suspected that she could be suffering from either cerebrospinal meningitis and/or Cerebral Malaria. However, the Malaria tests came out negative. Subsequently her fever was persistent and as for this reason, blood tests were carried out on Saturday, 23 January 2016 and Typhoid fever was confirmed on Monday, 25 January 2016. She is currently on antibiotics and appears to be fairly stable.
Furthermore, another 27-year-old Zimbabwean female patient, who has been staying in the country since 2012 presented to the Dr George Mukhari Hospital on Wednesday, 20 January 2016, two days after her illness started. There was no fever, headache, vomiting nor diarrhoea. Blood tests were also carried out on the same day of her admission. She was confirmed to be Typhoid positive on Monday, the 25 January 2016. She is also on antibiotics.
She currently resides in Soshanguve and her last visit to Zimbabwe was last year February. It should be noted that there are no epidemiological linkages (geographical proximity) between all the seven cases that have been identified so far.
However, it is encouraging to inform that the two children currently on admission at the Edenvale District Hospital have since improved drastically, with temperature reading and other vitals remaining essentially normal. The 16-year-old currently on admission at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital is also doing remarkably well and is said to be in a quite stable condition.
"Let us continue to wash our hands and food at all times, our Outbreak Response Team will be in force for the next few weeks, we are closely monitoring the situation which is currently under control," said MEC Mahlangu.
For more information please contact Steve Mabona 072 574 3860
For media enquiries, please use the address:mediaenquiries@gauteng.gov.za
