Don’t become part of the 1 300 diarrhoea cases

About 18 days ago, the Department of Health discovered that there was an increase of people complaining about having diarrhoea. At the time there were about 155 affected, the number has since increased to 307, this is according to a statement issued on July 31.

The second statement was later retracted by the department, not confirming which part was retracted.

On August 6 the provincial government released a statement in which they stated the number of people affected by the diarrhoea outbreak has increased to more than 1 300.

Local doctor, Goodman Maleni, says the public must continue to exercise caution while the provincial government deals with the diarrhoea outbreak.

“It is difficult to determine the cause and in the meantime the public can follow the standard procedures to stay healthy,” he said.

Here are some tips to follow:

1. Boil water before drinking it (99% of the bacteria dies)
2. Pour a teaspoon of bleach into 25 litres of water, mixing it well and waiting at least 30 minutes
3. Buy bottled water if you can afford it
4. Wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet
5. Wash your fruits before eating and rinse your vegetables
6. Buy a hand sanitizer; it can be a spray or the wet towels.

This is what you can do if you have diarrhoea:
• Visit the nearest clinic, doctor or hospital
• To prevent dehydration, add eight teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt to a litre bottle of water
• Eat a bland diet.

Source: Department of Health and City of Mbombela Local Municipality, www.everydayhealth.com and Department of Health.