Pretoria - The Department of Health has heightened its awareness campaign around the spread of cholera as visitors and foreign nationals return back from their December holidays in neighbouring countries.
While the number of cholera cases has thus far been confined to only two of the country's province's, the department said as most people, including foreign nationals, travel back to their homes after the December holidays, it would heighten its health awareness campaign.
This follows a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, which has left more than 1500 people dead.
According to the United Nation's World Health Organisation (WHO) some 1 518 people have died of the disease and 26 497 cases have been recorded since August when the outbreak occurred.
Department spokesperson Fidel Hadebe said on Tuesday that to further prevent the spread of cholera in South Africa, cholera treatment guidelines have been distributed to all the country's provinces to empower healthcare workers to deal with suspected and confirmed cholera cases as well as infection control.
"Environmental health officers have also been deployed in all high-risk areas to educate members of the public about cholera and how to avoid it. These high-risk areas are largely areas with poor sanitation and low toilet coverage, exposing residents to increased risks of exposure to cholera," Mr Hadebe said.
During the Situation Report (SITREP 27) of the National Outbreak Committee meeting held on Monday, it emerged that the number of cholera cases both confirmed and suspected up to date seemed to be confined largely to two of the country's nine provinces.
The committee held its first meeting of 2009 to take stock of the number of cholera cases in the country since the first outbreak was reported late last year.
Based on the report including the Epidemiological data, figures suggest that Limpopo still has the highest case load of cholera cases followed by Gauteng with 21 confirmed cases.
In other provinces, isolated suspected cases have been reported and the health authorities in those provinces are conducting tests aimed at determining the true patient situation.
The department has appealed to members of the public not to panic, saying the cholera outbreak is under control. The public have been urged to follow basic hygiene measures like washing of hands after visits to toilets, washing fruits and vegetables before eating them.
For those members of the public who may be in high-risk areas, it is still advisable to boil water before using it, Mr Hadebe said.
