Public urged to take precautions against listeriosis

The Gauteng Department of Health has issued a strong warning to members of the public to take precautionary steps following an identified outbreak of the disease known as listeriosis.

The health department said they were working tirelessly to ensure help is delivered to all affected areas. The disease has been identified in Soweto and Orange Farm.

Department spokesperson Sandile Gwayi said the district was prepared with a response team. The team consists of doctors, public and private infection prevention and control practitioners, environmental health practitioners, emergency medical services, laboratory services and other health professionals.

The department has urged the public to heed precautionary measures to combat the disease.

At least 205 listeriosis cases including 18 deaths were recently reported in Johannesburg by the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. Soweto and Orange Farm areas appeared to have most cases.

The public is warned of symptoms such as fever, vomiting and diarrhoea as they may indicate that the disease is in person’s system.

Precautionary measures such as appropriate handling of food and meat are a must.

Meat must be properly cooked at high temperatures (40 °C). Vegetables need to be properly washed and cleaned in running water before consumption or cooking.

The source of the outbreak is not yet established. However, district environmental health practitioners are collecting food samples from the homes of patients who have tested positive for listeriosis.

The department said reducing the morbidity rate due to the disease outbreak was their focus.

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