South Africa: Health Minister announces another imported cholera case

Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla calls for continued vigilance as the country records another imported laboratory-confirmed case of cholera from a 24 year- old South African man with travel history from Karachi in Pakistan.

The patient arrived in the country on the 16^th of July from Pakistan which is known to be cholera endemic, where he experienced abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea symptoms after a meal on the 14^th of July 2023. He reported that he had diarrhoea, but did not immediately seek medical attention while in Pakistan, and he only rehydrated himself using bottled water because he didn’t suspect any foodborne illness.

On his arrival through King Shaka International Airport, he felt dehydrated and was taken to a Private Hospital in Durban to seek medical help and he was then admitted on the 18^th of July while his specimen was sent to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for laboratory testing. The results came back positive with cholera toxin on Monday, 24 July 2023. He has been discharged and recovering well at home.

The outbreak response team has effected contact tracing and identified four family members and one friend he stayed with while in Pakistan. None of the contacts identified are presenting with cholera symptoms and are on continuous close monitoring. On the other hand, water samples were collected from the patient`s place of residence and taken for laboratory testing at the National Health Laboratory Service.

This case increases the total number of imported cholera cases recorded this year to three, following two cases detected from two people who travelled from Malawi. The country has recorded a total cumulative number of 199 laboratory-confirmed cases since February this year. The last positive case was recorded on the 19^th of June in Hammanskraal under Tshwane District.

While the situation is under control from the recent cholera outbreak in some parts of the country, Minister Phaahla urges the public to stay alert and maintain high level of personal hygiene at all times to prevent possible transmission of waterborne and foodborne diseases.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of Health.