Cape Town – The Health Department says four people have died from cholera in the Free State, bringing the total death toll to 47.
However, the department has noted a significant decrease in the number of suspected and confirmed cholera cases across the country in recent weeks.
A confirmed case is defined as the presence of cholera bacteria in a patient with diarrhea, while a suspected case is someone with acute watery diarrhea, with or without vomiting.
“A suspected case of cholera is a person of any age with or dying from acute watery diarrhoea with or without vomiting. In areas where a cholera outbreak has been declared, any person presenting with or dying from acute watery diarrhoea meets the criteria of a suspected case,” the department said in a statement.
According to data, only one confirmed positive cholera case was recorded out of 28 new suspected infections in the past 10 days.
“This doesn’t mean the transmission of cholera is over, and members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and exercise personal hygiene at all times, especially when preparing and serving food during mass gatherings,” the statement read.
So far, there have been a total of 1 073 suspected cholera cases in five provinces, with 198 laboratory-confirmed cases between February 1 and July 4, 2023.
Gauteng has the highest number of infections, followed by Free State, North West, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.
Most cases were diagnosed in the public sector, with a smaller percentage detected in private laboratories.
Females accounted for 52% of confirmed cases, and the age group of 41 to 50 had the highest number of cases.
The department emphasised the importance of complying with health and safety regulations, particularly in initiation schools, and highlighted the need for personal hygiene and clean water from reliable sources to prevent waterborne diseases like cholera.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
