Cholera cases down in Limpopo, Mpumalanga

The numbers of new cholera cases in Limpopo and Mpumalanga have been dropping since the beginning of February, provincial health departments announced on Wednesday.

The infectious, waterborne disease struck the two provinces in November last year.

On Tuesday this week, there were 74 new cases treated in Mpumalanga, provincial health spokesperson Mpho Gabashane said in a statement.

At one point, new cases of cholera had peaked at up to 300 new cases a day, but the number of daily cases has stayed below 100 since the beginning of February.

He said the disease had killed 30 in the province. The last cholera-related death was recorded in late January.

“This [drop] comes as a result of the mass mobilisation of health education. Our teams remain on the ground because we are still seeing the small new numbers,” Gabashane said.

Limpopo health spokesperson Phuti Seloba said 4 538 people had been treated for cholera in the province since November.

However, only 30 new cases were treated over the past 24 hours, compared to the peaks of more than 100 a day treated in December and January.

“We need to give credit to our health professionals for all their hard work.
At the same time we also need to continue sensitising our people about issues beyond cholera, such as hygiene,” he said.

Less than six new cases a day were currently being treated in the Musina area.

A total of 23 people died of cholera in Limpopo between November last year and January this year, he said.—Sapa