Death toll from cholera in Hammanskraal hits 12

Twelve people have died of cholera and 95 have visited hospitals with symptoms that indicate they could have the disease in Pretoria.

A three-year-old is among the 12 people who have died in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, after being admitted to hospital with diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting.

On Sunday, 19 cases of cholera, in addition to those who have died, had been confirmed and 37 were hospitalised, the provincial health department said in a statement.

Gauteng MEC for health and wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko on Sunday confirmed a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal. She said this was confirmed by lab results of tests on stool specimens of 19 people who presented at Jubilee District Hospital with symptoms of diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea.

She said that since May 15, 95 people from Kanana, Suurman, Majaneng, Green Field, Carousel View, Lephengville and Sekampaneng have been seen at the hospital with similar symptoms.

“The City of Tshwane has issued a notice urging communities of Hammanskraal not to drink tap water and has supplied water tankers to the hospital and surrounding communities,” the Gauteng health department said in a statement.

In the Free State, six chases of cholera have been confirmed and 76 people have visited hospitals with diarrhoeal infections, the national health department said on Sunday. The infections were found in the towns of Vredefort and Parys.

During her visit to the hospital on Sunday afternoon, Nkomo-Ralehoko said the department had made available two additional wards to accommodate patients who could not be immediately admitted on arrival.

“We have also mobilised additional resources, which include medical and nursing staff from surrounding hospitals and local clinics to improve capacity for the growing need for medical care. Furthermore, additional linen has been delivered from the provincial laundry to activate the extra beds,” she said.

The provincial, district and municipality outbreak response teams continue to do advocacy work to raise awareness among communities. The teams have engaged with churches, local training institutions and various media platforms, as well as “loud-hailing in the affected areas”.

Nkomo-Ralehoko urged the public to take extra precautionary measures and maintain proper hand hygiene.

“We would like to reiterate and urge the public to avoid known or suspected contaminated food, water and surfaces and wash hands thoroughly with soap before handling food or after using the bathroom to prevent possible infection.

“It is also important that people never drink water from unsafe sources such as rivers, dams, streams unless boiled or disinfected,” she said.

She said the department has also engaged with the national department of human settlements, water & sanitation to add additional capacity to support the municipality with water infrastructure and related issues.

“We have already received two additional nurses last night and four are part of the shift now. These are from Tshwane district hospital and the local clinics around the area. The city will mobilise additional resources in the form of social workers to activate counselling and social relief for the affected families,” she said.

Nkomo-Ralehoko has advised the public to report to their nearest health facilities if they experience diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and dehydration symptoms so they can receive treatment.

Hundreds of people have died in Malawi and Mozambique from the disease in 2023 and a small number of cases were previously reported in SA. Cholera is a diarrhoeal disease caused by a virus that spreads in unsanitary conditions. 

TimesLIVE with Bloomberg