Health department reports two imported cases of cholera

SA’s health department has reported two confirmed cases of cholera, attributed to two sisters who visited Malawi.

The sisters had in January travelled to Malawi, where a cholera outbreak since last year has claimed more than 1,000 lives as of last month, the highest on record in the country.

“Both patients had developed symptoms on their return to Johannesburg,” the health department said in a statement.

“A close contact (household family member) of one of the patients was admitted to hospital on February 4  with diarrhoea and dehydration, and is considered a possible case,” it said, adding laboratory test results were pending.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the bacteria Vibrio, and can be deadly if left untreated. It is mainly spread by contaminated food and water.

“Safe disposal of human excrement and nappies is recommended. The department is working closely with the affected province, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and World Health Organisation to closely monitor the situation. 

“All people experiencing symptoms, such as diarrhoea and dehydration, with or without travel history to cholera outbreak countries, are urged to report to their nearest health facilities for health screening and early detection,” the department said.

Cholera is not endemic in SA, it said. The last outbreak in the country was in 2008/2009 when about 12,000 cases were reported following an outbreak in Zimbabwe, which led to several imported cases and subsequent local transmission.

Reuters