Cholera death toll rises to eight

ONE more person has died of cholera, bringing the total number of deaths to eight, the Ministry of Health and Social Services announced yesterday.

The health ministry said that the number of suspected cholera cases treated at Kunene Region health facilities rose from 89 on Wednesday to 276 by yesterday.

Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Health Ester Paulus, said that one more death was recorded in the region last week, bringing the total to eight.

“The number of patients admitted for suspected cholera at Opuwo District Hospital has gone down to 38 patients yesterday from 56 that were admitted on Wednesday,” said Paulus.

Paulus said although the Opuwo District Hospital has a total capacity for 80 patients, a total of 111 were admitted by yesterday.

“The Ministry has erected six tents at the hospital to accommodate all admitted suspected cholera patients. These 38 patients will be moved to the tents today once preparations for them have been finalised,” she said.

Paulus said the tents were to isolate suspected cholera patients because the disease is infectious (water borne).

“These patients will have access to all the facilities such as toilets, bathrooms, electricity, running water etc. The public is being informed that the ministry has adequate medicine to deal with the outbreak at the region and calls on all community members with cholera like symptoms to access health facilities without further delay,” she said.

Paulus said about six teams of health professionals from the ministry, Red Cross, World Health Organisation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are busy conducting field work in the region to contain the outbreak.

She said they are doing surveillance, public education, case management, referrals of community members to health facilities, distribution of first aid medicine, oral rehydration, and water purification tablets and water containers.

She said a helicopter is expected to reach Kunene by today to assist the teams in reaching areas that are not accessible by road. Paulus also told The Namibian that they were still trying to establish the source of the outbreak but said the ministry suspected a certain area in the region where the outbreak might have first been reported. “Plans are underway to access this area by tomorrow,” she said.

Paulus urged the public not to drink rain water before boiling it or using water purification tablets to avoid getting sick.