This follows fears that were instilled in the communities through social media chain messages, claiming there are typhoid cases in the local municipality.

The department can, however, confirm that the Matlosana sub-district has reported cases.

Sambatha said in a statement that the Centre for Enteric Diseases (CED) at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), which oversees enteric fever surveillance activities, has alerted the province to the fact that the Matlosana sub-district has a total of 21 laboratory-confirmed cases of typhoid fever, which were detected from the period November 2020 - February 2022.

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“The latest is that only four cases were reported in the current year. These were two adults aged between 15-49 and two children aged below 14 years old. All the recent cases are from the Khuma area in Matlosana. There are currently no hospital admissions,” said Sambatha.

Also known as typhoid fever, it is a systemic illness caused by a bacterial infection with Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhi or serotypes Paratyphi A, B or C. It is spread by faeco-oral contact, or through contaminated food or water, persons who have typhoid may spread typhoid to others if sanitation is poor.

The Department of Health continues to work together with relevant stakeholders in their response to manage typhoid infections and these include the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, the NICD, National Health Laboratories Service, and the South African Field Epidemiology Training Programme (SAFETP).

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