The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has urged people to take necessary measures to maintain strict hygiene, especially at home.
Listeriosis has already claimed the lives of at least 61 people, most of them in Gauteng.
Listeriosis is food poisoning that occurs when the bacteria known as listeria has contaminated a consumable item.
On January 8, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said more than 700 cases of listeriosis have been confirmed in South Africa, and 61 people have already succumbed to the disease.
There are 727 laboratory confirmed cases that occurred in the country,”
“This means that since the last press conference on December 5, 2017, a total of 170 extra cases emerged.”
He said of these 170, a total of 51 had already occurred before December 5, only that they were discovering them now as the search continues, hence they were captured retrospectively.
“Therefore, there are 119 new cases that occurred since our last press conference.”
The health department has stressed the need for everyone to thoroughly wash their hands at all opportunities and to always ensure that good hygiene is followed.
Other measures which should be taken include:
• Only use pasteurised dairy products.
• Thoroughly cook raw foods from animal sources such as beef, poultry or pork.
• Wash hands before preparing food, before eating and after using the toilet.
How dangerous is listeriosis?
Infection with listeria may result in flu-like symptoms, diarrhoea and fever; general body pains, vomiting, weakness, infection of the bloodstream (septicaemia) and meningoencephalitis (infection of the meninges and brain).
Although anyone can get listeriosis, those at high risk of developing severe disease include newborns, the elderly, pregnant women, people with weak immunity such as individuals with HIV, diabetics and cancer patients whom have chronic liver or kidney disease.
The municipality and the department of health have been asked of any cases in Benoni, however, there was no response by the time of print.
