South Africa has called for vigilance on the part of the country’s citizens after health authorities confirmed two imported cases of cholera.
The South African Ministry of Health, Joe Phaahla, explained that the two cases are sisters who had traveled to Malawi to attend a funeral. In addition, several family members are reported to have symptoms compatible with the disease and are being investigated in laboratories.
Also, the South African government, which has urged people to ensure proper hygiene, as well as the use of safe or disinfected water or the complete disposal of excreta, has maintained that it is working in «close collaboration» with local authorities, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and the World Health Organization to closely monitor the situation.
On the other hand, the Health Minister recalled that cholera is not an endemic disease in the country, informing that the last outbreak, imported from Zimbabwe, took place in 2008-2009, when the country recorded 12,000 cases.
Malawi is facing a cholera outbreak declared in March last year that has left more than 1,200 dead in the country, according to the most recent data from the Ministry of Health. The Malawian Executive has imposed and lifted several measures over the past few months, including the closure of schools in some of the country’s cities.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
