South Africa: Visitors to Zambia Warned of Infectious Disease
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
6 October 2008
Posted to the web 6 October 2008
Luyanda Makapela
Johannesburg
The Gauteng Department of Health has issued a warning to people who have recently travelled to Zambia and have come down with flu-like symptoms.
These patients have been requested to report to the nearest health facility for a medical examination or contact Dr Chika Asomugha on 082 330 1490.
The department is on high alert following the confirmation of four cases of an unknown highly infectious disease.
Speaking to BuaNews on Monday, departmental health spokesperson Zanele Mngadi said the department was busy investigating the "unknown highly infectious" disease which caused flu-like symptoms.
The department confirmed that three people had died and a fourth, a cleaner at the Morningside Medi-Clinic, died on Sunday night.
The first victim was a 36-year-old woman from Zambia who was brought to South Africa for treatment on 12 September after being critically ill for weeks. She was taken to the Morningside Medi-Clinic where she was treated for tick-bite fever and other potential infections, but died two days later.
"Blood samples were taken and the results were not conclusive of any particular disease including the Viral Hemorrhagic fevers," the department said.
A 33-year-old paramedic, who had accompanied the patient, was then admitted to the Morningside Medi-Clinic with the same flu-like symptoms. He later died in hospital.
The department said the third patient, who was a nurse at the clinic, was in contact with the first patient and became ill with the same symptoms and subsequently was admitted at the Sir Albert Robinson Hospital where she passed away on Sunday.
Morningside Medi-Clinic spokesperson Melinda Pelser confirmed that a fourth victim, a cleaner, died on Sunday night and said hospital staff who had been in contact with the deceased patients were being monitored.
"All the staff who had anything to do with the patients have been followed up. They are aware that they should notify us if there is any change in their temperature or if they have any flu-like symptoms," Ms Pelser told BuaNews.
She said the hospital was taking all the necessary precautions to fight the unknown disease and there was no need of panic from the public.
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The department also said systems were in place to follow up with all those who had had contact with the victims. Health care workers and family members will be monitored for raised temperature and flu-like symptoms for a period of 21 days.
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This disease is like what happened 6 years ago in China. Fle-like unknow disease wipe the whole contury, thousands of people died because of that. People don't need to panic, however ,everyone must be alert and responsible for the others. Otherwise, what happened before will happen again on the land...