Cholera outbreak claims ten more lives in South Africa

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Cholera outbreak claims ten more lives in South Africa

8:45 CAT | 21 May 2023

Photo: Twitter/ @GautengHealth

The provincial health department in the South African province of Gauteng on Sunday announced 19 new cases of Cholera in Hammanskraal, including 10 deaths.

South Africa reported its first cholera death in February, after the virus arrived in the country from Malawi.

MEC @NkomoNomantu is currently conducting a walkabout at Jubilee District Hospital to ensure that patients at the hospital who have been affected by diarrhoeal disease receive adequate medical attention. pic.twitter.com/fN8HzuhwC6

— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) May 21, 2023

It was unclear how many cholera cases there was nationally as of Sunday, but the most populous province of Gauteng, where Johannesburg and Pretoria are situated, has been hardest hit.

Cholera can cause acute diarrhoea, vomiting and weakness and is mainly spread by contaminated food or water. It can kill within hours if untreated.

The last outbreak in South Africa was in 2008/2009 when about 12,000 cases were reported following an outbreak in neighbouring Zimbabwe, which led to a surge of imported cases and subsequent local transmission.

Watch.