CAPE TOWN – Messages on community WhatsApp groups are inaccurately linking the typhoid fever outbreak to Cape Town’s tap water, the City’s Mayco Member for Water and Sanitation Zahid Badroodien stressed.
Badroodien states messages asking the public to not drink the City’s tap water is fake news and it is safe to drink.
The same messages being circulated are also inaccurately linking the outbreak of typhoid fever in both Western Cape and North West, according to the local government head of water.
“All drinking water samples tested this week complied with the South African National Drinking Water Standard on Acute Health Determinants and pose no health risk to the public,” Badroodien said.
An outbreak of typhoid fever has been confirmed by South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), IOL reported on Thursday.
The Western Cape has reported a combined total of 64 cases in three separate districts – Cape Town Metro health district, the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route.
North West has reported 18 cases.
Diagnosing typhoid fever is difficult based on its common symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, nausea and even flu-like symptoms, head of the Centre for Enteric Diseases Dr Juno Thomas said.
Meanwhile many children are being brought to Cape Town clinics with similar symptoms. However, the City cites hot conditions as the reason, not typhoid.
“The very hot conditions in the City has led to a noticeable increase in the number of children brought to health facilities with symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration,” Cape Town’s Mayco Member for Community Services and Health Patricia van der Ross said.
“Unclean hands can spread viruses that cause diarrhoea. During hot summer days, food can easily get spoilt. If eaten, this can also cause diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration. It is important to prepare and store food safely and to practise good hand hygiene at all times,” she adds.
Earlier this month, the City has urged parents and caregivers to take precaution due to the number of children with diarrhoea.
IOL