Cape Town – Health Minister Joe Phaahla has confirmed a new imported case of cholera in South Africa.
The patient is a 24-year-old man who traveled from Karachi, Pakistan, and experienced symptoms of abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea after a meal in Pakistan.
“The patient arrived in the country on the 16th of July from Pakistan which is known to be cholera endemic, where he experienced abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea symptoms after a meal on the 14th of July 2023. He reported that he had diarrhoea, but did not immediately seek medical attention while in Pakistan, and he only rehydrated himself using bottled water because he didn’t suspect any foodborne illness.
“On his arrival through King Shaka International Airport, he felt dehydrated and was taken to a Private Hospital in Durban to seek medical help and he was then admitted on the 18th of July while his specimen was sent to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for laboratory testing. The results came back positive with cholera toxin on Monday, 24 July 2023. He has been discharged and recovering well at home,” the department said on. Tuesday.
Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla calls for continued vigilance as the country records another imported laboratory-confirmed case of cholera from a 24 year old South African man with travel history from Karachi in Pakistan.https://t.co/pN0mVPeyEk pic.twitter.com/WS053lKNuS
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) July 25, 2023
The outbreak response team has identified and monitored the contacts, including four family members and a friend, with whom the patient stayed in Pakistan.
No cholera symptoms have been reported in the identified contacts.
This marks the third imported cholera case in South Africa this year, with the other cases being detected in individuals who traveled from Malawi.
Since February, South Africa has recorded a total of 199 laboratory-confirmed cholera cases, with a recent outbreak causing 47 deaths in different provinces.
Although the confirmed cases have declined, the health department warns that the risk of cholera transmission remains, and the public is urged to maintain personal hygiene to prevent the spread of waterborne and foodborne diseases.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
