Four Typhoid cases reported in Gauteng
Outbreak Response Team activated to trace and manage these cases and to determine if there is a common source.
The National Health Institute has assured the public that there is no need to panic after one person died and three others were diagnosed with typhoid fever in Joburg hospitals.
“There isn’t an outbreak, there were four cases noted in Joburg over two weeks, which prompted an investigation,” said professor Lucille Blumberg.
Blumberg said, “Three of the cases had travelled, they were imported typhoid.
“Only two of them had a link, they were siblings.”
“A 27-year-old Malawian woman allegedly succumbed to the disease at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital (CMAH),” said Gauteng Health spokesperson Steve Mabona.
Mabona said, “The woman had returned from a holiday to her home country three weeks ago, through Mozambique.
“She presented at the Hillbrow Community Health Centre complaining of fever, headache and vomiting. She was tested for Malaria but the tests were negative.
“The woman was sent home but apparently returned to the clinic the following day after the symptoms worsened.”
“Last Saturday, she was admitted to CMAH with a severe fever, headache and joint pains.
“She died the following day and the tests confirmed that the cause was typhoid fever.
“Last Tuesday, a 16-year-old South African girl was also admitted to the same hospital with the same symptoms,” he said.
“She was immediately diagnosed with typhoid and is undergoing treatment and is stable and improving.
“According to the girl, she has never travelled out of South Africa or anywhere outside Gauteng.
“Two Zimbabwean girls were admitted at the Edenvale District Hospital within days of each other.
Mabona said the girls who had returned from Zimbabwe were stable.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Shadow for MEC Health Jack Bloom says he is concerned by the four typhoid cases that have been reported by the Gauteng Health Department, including one patient who died of typhoid last week.
“Typhoid is a notifiable disease and is highly infectious.
“It is important that we establish the source of these typhoid cases and take steps to prevent the spread of this disease.
“An additional concern is that this may be a multi-drug resistant typhoid strain called H58 which has emerged in Africa and Asia, and does not respond effectively to frontline anti-biotics.”
“Hand washing is an important way to prevent the spread of typhoid.
“People should contact their nearest health facility if they experience diarrhoea, fever, headache and or nausea and vomiting,” Bloom said.
He said, “Swift and effective measures are needed to contain a possible typhoid outbreak.”
“We have activated our outbreak response team to trace and manage these cases and to determine if there is a common source,” said Gauteng MEC for Health Qedani Mahlangu.
Mahlangu said, “We assure the public that we are on the alert.”
