Cholera epidemic slowing down

The number of new cholera cases is continuing to drop, and it appears the epidemic is tailing off, a statement from the KwaZulu-Natal health department was quoted as saying. However, it added that the epidemic can only be considered over if there are no new cases reported for 10 days in a row. The total of new cases in the last 24 hours is 231, a low number compared to 30 January, which saw 1,010 new cholera infections in the province, the highest figure recorded in one day since the outbreak of the disease in mid-August. The cumulative total of cases reported from the outbreak in August to date was 98,812, the department said. “The northern areas of Ulundi, Ngewelezane/lower Umfolosi and Eshowe/Nkandla remain the areas where the highest number of cases are being recorded,” said the department. “All have large, remote rural areas where water and sanitation are inadequate and levels of poverty are high. As such sanitation, education and training programmes are likely to take longer in having an effect in these regions.” The department said that a total of 339 water tanks and 95 water tankers were still supplying clean water to communities in rural areas. Twenty-nine re-hydration centres are still operating and 210 people remain hospitalised until they are re-hydration.