By: Natasha Archary
Health Minister Joe Phaahla says there have been no new deaths relating to cholera in the past 7-days.
The only reported deaths come from Gauteng at 23, and one other from the Free State.
“As it stands the outbreak of cholera can be defined as being limited to very specific areas in the country. The beginning of the year where it was Johannesburg and a little bit in Ekurhuleni, we have not seen any new cases.
The cases have been largely in the Hammanskraal area, particularly in the Kanana region which has been identified as the epicenter of the outbreak.
While there have been no new cases reported since the 23 May, the total number of confirmed cases of cholera are 99.
Since the start of this new week there have been no new deaths recorded, there were two deaths from the end of the previous week.”
Health Minister Joe Phaahla says there have been no new deaths related to cholera in the past 7-days
While the Department of Health has still not identified the source of the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, Phaahla says that the imported cases of two sisters from Diepsloot forms the background for the department to track.
The sisters reportedly travelled to Malawi, where cholera has claimed the lives of 1 500 people since March.
Meanwhile, Johannesburg Water has reassured residents that the city’s water supply is untainted and safe to consume.
Johannesburg Water says that although media reports suggest that a part of the Vaal River tested positive for cholera, the bulk water supplier used chlorine to disinfect water before it’s pumped to residents.
