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 31 December 2008.
On 2 January 2009 they both started vomiting, followed by painless watery
diarrhoea. They only went to Pankop clinic on 4 January 2009 and they were both
transferred to Mmametlhake Hospital. The female patient unfortunately died on 5
January 2009. The male patient was discharged on 7 January 2009.
Tests done on these two cases and received from the National Health
Laboratory (NHLS) on the 9th of 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 diarrhoea cases
and be forward them to head office on a daily basis for thorough monitoring.
All facilities have been instructed to do stool sampling or rectal swabs for
every diarrhoea case that fits the case definition of the present national
cholera outbreak.
Health promotion teams in Dr JS Moroka have been deployed to do extensive
cholera and diarrhoea prevention and hygiene promotion. Information and
capacity is provided on home purification methods, sugar and salt solution,
good hygiene practices, proper use of toilets and hand washing practices,
utilising 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 take 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.
For more information, contact:
Mpho Gabashane
Cell: 082 802 4937
Issued by: Department of Health, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
14 January 2009
