Four new cases of cholera have been detected in Gauteng, the Department of Health has confirmed.
This brings the total number of cases to 10 including a 19-year-old teenager who died after he contracted cholera in Emandleni informal settlement in Benoni, east of Johannesburg in February.
Previously, six cases were detected across the province.
According to the department, the affected patients were part of baptism ceremonies that took place recently at Jukskei and Klip rivers in Johannesburg.
Foster Mohale, spokesperson for the department, said cases number seven and eight are a couple from Diepsloot who were admitted to the Helen Joseph Hospital on March 21.
The couple presented with acute watery diarrhoea and severe dehydration.
“Both the wife and husband mentioned that they were baptised at the Jukskei River where they also drank water from the river before experiencing health complications,” said Mohale.
He noted that the woman who baptised the couple also tested positive for cholera, as she had also drank water from the river during the ceremony.
“She was detected by the health response team during contact tracing and investigation as having diarrhoea and vomiting.”
Mohale added that case number nine is a 10-year-old girl from Katlehong in Ekurhuleni who presented with diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting at Mpilweni Private Hospital.
“It was also established that the girl and her mother were baptised with other church members at Klip River a week earlier.
“She was admitted and her test results came back positive. She died the following day.”
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