The Health Department says it’s intensifying investigations into the source of the typhoid fever outbreak in the City of Tshwane.
Twenty-four cases have so far been confirmed – 14 in Bronkhorstspruit and 10 in Hammanskraal. According to the City of Tshwane, tests on the city’s water supply have not shown an epidemiological link between the cases.
Typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi which spreads through contaminated food or water. Symptoms may include prolonged fever, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
The department’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale says, “Our colleagues at NICD and the Department of Health have conducted what we call case findings, identifying all affected individuals, interviewed them to collect the data in terms of the demographics, public history and so forth.”
“Of course there could be many possible sources. So, basically we need to get that full report on the profile of the patients so that we try to find a link. Secondly – we are working with the city in order to check where could be the source of this –identifying areas like your unprotected wells, boreholes and open sources,” he adds.
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