First Cholera Death in South Africa -Health Department

The South African Department of Health reported on Thursday the death of one person from cholera in Benoni, Ekurhuleni.

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"Sadly, he passed away a few days after test results confirmed he was positive," the Health Department said, referring to the 24-year-old male who had no history of travel.

The death corresponds to the fifth confirmed case of cholera in the country following the recent outbreak. He was taken to the hospital after presenting with severe watery diarrhea.

"One of his contacts remains hospitalized, and further investigations are ongoing," the department said in a statement.

In early February, the country reported the first two cases of cholera in two sisters. These cases were imported from Malawi. The third case involved the husband of one of the sisters. 

According to the Health Department, the fourth case is a 28-year-old male resident of Alexandra in Johannesburg with no history of travel. 

Health authorities called on the population to go to the hospital in case of diarrhea and dehydration, vomiting and body weakness, symptoms of the disease spread mainly by contaminated food or water. 

More than 1 300 people have died in a deadly cholera outbreak in Malawi. Mozambique and Zambia have also reported cases. 

Outbreaks are also reported in eastern South Africa, with Kenya and Somalia suffering from severe and prolonged drought. In West and Central Africa, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria have reported cases as well.