Pretoria – Two more cases of typhoid fever have been confirmed in Gauteng.
The Gauteng Health Department on Tuesday said the cases were confirmed on Monday at the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in the Tshwane district.
“A 38-year-old Zimbabwean female patient, who resides in Centurion, came to the hospital last Thursday. She was confused on arrival at the hospital. She was referred from Centurion Clinic,” said the department.
The department said she had travelled home to Zimbabwe two weeks ago and had just returned to South Africa.
“It was initially suspected that she could be suffering from either cerebrospinal meningitis and/or cerebral malaria. However, the malaria tests came out negative.
“Subsequently her fever was persistent and as for this reason, blood tests were carried out on Saturday and typhoid fever was confirmed on Monday. She is currently on antibiotics and appears to be fairly stable,” said the department.
The department said another 27-year-old Zimbabwean female patient, who has been staying in the country since 2012, went the same hospital last Wednesday, two days after her illness started.
“There was no fever, headache, vomiting or diarrhoea. Blood tests were also carried out on the same day of her admission. She was confirmed to be typhoid positive on Monday. She is also on antibiotics,” said the department.
The department said she currently resides in Soshanguve in Pretoria and her last visit to Zimbabwe was last year February.
“It should be noted that there are no epidemiological linkages (geographical proximity) between all the seven cases that have been identified so far,” said the department.
The department on Sunday reported four cases of the disease which were detected in Johannesburg last week.
“However, it is encouraging to say that the two children currently on admission at the Edenvale District Hospital have since improved drastically, with temperature readings and other vitals remaining essentially normal.
“The 16-year-old currently admitted at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital is also doing remarkably well, and is said to be in a quite stable condition,” said the department.
Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu encouraged residents to continue to wash hands and food at all times.
“Our Outbreak Response Team will be in force for the next few weeks, we are closely monitoring the situation which is currently under control,” said MEC Mahlangu.
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