Between January 1 and February 1 South Africa recorded 46 suspected and 5 Laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera.
Minister of Health Dr. Joe Phaahla said this week that three of these cases were imported from Zimbabwe, which is currently battling the outbreak.
The other two cases of individuals aged 11 and 13, are siblings with no travel history to cholera outbreak areas, which Phaahla said it suggested that there was a risk of contact with a known cholera case.
Four of these cases were detected in Musina and Helena Franz Hospitals in Limpopo while the other one was confirmed in Helen Joseph hospital in Gauteng.
Phaahla said a cluster of 24 of this diarrhoeal disease cases were also identified during the outbreak response activities at a primary and high school in the Blouberg Local Municipality, also in Limpopo in gereneral
“The test results are still pending and local outbreak response teams have been activated to strengthen the investigation to conduct active case finding and contact tracing.
This will also help to determine the source of infection where there is no travel history and to institute control measures to avert further local transmissions.
All public and private health facilities are urged to remain vigilant due to potential high risks of cholera transmission”, he said.
Phaahla urged the public not to panic and further called for more vigilance, to exercise caution and maintain proper personal hygiene practices especially amongst children at home and at schools.
He added that the country remains on high alert for possible sudden and large increase of infections at community level.