North West register first Cholera case

The North West Department of Health confirmed that the Province has now officially registered the first case of Cholera. It was found that the two cases that were initially reported were already allocated to Gauteng as it was clarified by the National Department. This then makes the latest case, the first official one for the Province. The case is of a 50 year old Male, residing in Maubane in the Moretele Subdistrict.

The case’s clinical presentation was observed through diarrhoea, vomiting, leg cramps and dehydration. The specimen were then collected on 30 May 2023 at Maubane Clinic and tested at Jubilee Hospital. The results came back positive to Cholera and was received on 01 June 2023.

Health MEC Madoda Sambatha said that, “even prior to this first case, the Province’s Outbreak Response teams have been established at all levels, province, district snd subdistrict to tackle the outbreak. Multidisciplinary (EHP, CDC, Information and partners) are already activated on the ground. The response teams are also activated to initiate and strengthen surveillance for all diarrhoea cases. There is daily reporting from teams required as a way of motoring the situation”.

mbers of the public are reminded to continue practising personal hygiene, wash their hands thoroughly with water and soap or sanitiser before prepare handling food or after using bathrooms.
All people who experience cholera-like symptoms (stomach cramps, diarrhoea, and dehydration and vomiting) are urged to present themselves to the nearest health facilities without delays to enable health workers effectively manage the infection. The case finding and contact tracing activities are ongoing, especially in the affected communities.

The Department urges the public not to panic as Cholera is preventable and curable. All people who experience Cholera symptoms, with or without local or international travel history are advised to visit their nearest health facility.
Cholera is diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Individuals generally become ill 12 – 48 hours after exposure. Some of the common symptoms include diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever. Among people who develop symptoms, the majority have mild or moderate symptoms, while a minority develop acute watery diarrhoea with severe dehydration. This can lead to death if left untreated.

Meanwhile, the Department ensures continuous awareness and health education engagements from health care workers with the communities.

The Department is also pleased that municipalities have committed to implement municipal health services including food control and water quality monitoring, pest and vector control, surveillance and control of communicable diseases excluding immunisation, air pollution control. Municipal health will also ensure compliance enforcement. Water samples will continue to be collected for testing.

The Department would further like to urge the public to take extra precautionary measures and maintain proper hand-hygiene to curb further outbreak of Diarrhoeal disease or gastrointestinal infection.