The threat of the plague has become a reality to the community during the illegal Pikitup strike, after a rat was found to carry it.
People are fearing a possible disease outbreak after a rodent was tested positive for antibodies of the plague in Region A. Thanks to the illegal strike, which entered its fourth week on Monday (4 April), piles of rubbish remain uncollected in many parts of the city. Despite contingency efforts by the entity, the heaps of trash attract rodents and other pests. The plague is transmitted between animals and humans by bite of infected fleas, direct contact and inhalation, which provokes ‘flu-like’ symptoms after an incubation period of three days to a week. Typical symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, chills, body aches and weakness as well as vomiting and nausea.
However, CEO of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Professor Lucille Bloomberg in a press statement said this does not mean a plague outbreak. She urges residents not to touch live or dead rodents without wearing protective gear. To curb the growing health risk, Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Councillor Parks Tau yesterday (Tuesday 5 April) announced CoJ will deploy additional resources to identified high risk areas. He welcomed the pledges of security companies ADT, CSS and Chubb to provide security services for contingency teams who often work late into the night to clean the city. In the mean time, an investigation into the alleged misconduct of Pikitup MD Amanda Nair is underway.
Tau reiterated his plea for the 4 500 illegal strikers to return to work and urged residents to become involved in local clean-up campaigns to minimise the health risk. Residents can make use of a new, 24-hour hotline to secure cleaning tools and protective clothing for these campaigns, he said. Call 011 286 6009 to get involved.
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