More than 90 suspected diarrhoea cases reported in the Barberton area

More than 90 suspected diarrhoea cases have been reported in the Barberton area in Mpumalanga. The outbreak has already claimed the life of a nine-month-old baby who died at the Barberton hospital.

According to the hospital, at least eighteen people have so far been admitted.

The Provincial Manager of the Communicable Diseases Control unit in the Department of Health in Mpumalanga, Maria Mahlalela says the department has recorded 359 cases in the Mbombela Municipality.

“Those cases happened on the 2nd to the 12th of August. The distribution of those cases is as follows, Barberton hospital recorded 99; Cativol Clinic 48; in Africa 156, and Ronett Clinic 11 and 45 of those cases are recorded with a private hospital at uMjindi area and the total of 68 of those cases were seen in Gosfoth Hospital; 23 of those cases were admitted by the Barberton Hospital and 45 by other private hospital, but currently 11 remain hospitalised in Barberton and the rest of the other patients were discharged in a satisfactory condition with treatment to take home,” says Maria Mahlalela, Provincial Manager of Communicable Diseases.

Video: Diarrhoea outbreak – Investigations into diarrhoea outbreak in Mpumalanga: Maria Mahlalela