People suffering symptoms of typhoid fever have been urged to seek medical assistance after an outbreak in Delmas, Mpumalanga.
At least 18 people have been hospitalised and a further 380 could be infected, Beeld newspaper reported on Wednesday.
”Symptoms are a fever as high as 40 degrees, patients may feel weak or have stomach pains, headache, loss of appetite [and] in some cases a rash of flat, rose-coloured spots,” said Life Health Care spokesperson Marietjie Shelly on Wednesday.
The outbreak is suspected to have originated in Delmas’s water supply. Water tankers were being sent to the town on Wednesday, Beeld reported.
Ten people are being treated at Parklands clinic in Springs. Of these, one man tested positive for typhoid fever and is being treated in the intensive-care unit. Shelly said his condition is improving.
Though typhoid has not been confirmed in the other nine people — four children and five adults — they are being treated in isolation as a preventative measure.
Glynnwood hospital in Benoni had taken in three patients, one confirmed as suffering from typhoid and the other two suffering clinical symptoms.
One child, four-year-old Rochelle Potgieter, was admitted to Eugene Marais hospital in Pretoria. She tested positive for typhoid and is in a stable condition.
”The only way to confirm for typhoid is to have stools or blood tested for its presence,” said Shelly.
Typhoid fever usually occurs in underdeveloped countries and is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. It spreads through contaminated food and water. If a person carries the bacteria and does not wash his or her hands, it could spread through contact, Shelly said.
”It is not an airborne disease and is not spread by droplets or coughing.”
She said many patients were admitted and subsequently discharged when their laboratory results came back negative.
”Even if cases are not confirmed, all preventative measures are taken to ensure there is no threat to other patients.”
Dr Gerry Capatos, of the Parklands clinic, told Beeld that no one who receives treatment will die from typhoid fever.
Health department spokesperson Charity Bhengu said provincial health and local government officials were meeting on Wednesday with water affairs officials to discuss the outbreak and would be releasing a statement later in the day.