Frank Maponya

Frank Maponya

Sixty-eight new cases of cholera were reported in Limpopo yesterday.

This brings to 2348 the total number of cases that have been reported since the outbreak of the disease on November 15 last year.

Department of Health and Social Development spokesman Phuti Seloba said yesterday that there were 126 new cases on Friday.

He said they were concerned at the rate at which the disease was spreading in the province.

The disease has also spread to Mpumalanga and other provinces. It was first diagnosed when sick people from Zimbabwe crossed into Musina to seek treatment.

According to Seloba, the Capricorn district was the hardest hit, with 26 of the latest cases being reported there. Sekhukhune and Vhembe districts were second after recording 17 cases each. Mopani dealt with six cases, while Waterberg had two cases at the weekend.

Seloba said they were continuing with the campaign to educate communities to ensure that people know what measures to take to deal with the disease.

"Among other things, we have resorted to an infotainment kind of approach in which communities will watch a drama about people suffering from the disease.

"We believe this will help conscientise communities about the dangers of the disease," he said.

Meanwhile, Leah Matlala of the department of water affairs in Limpopo said yesterday that the latest results of water samples taken from the Tubatse River came out negative.

The river initially tested positive to cholera two weeks ago. Matlala, however, warned communities not to be complacent.

She said further tests would be carried out to determine the areas in which the river was cholera infested.