Limpopo health department concerned as malaria cases rocket and two die

The Limpopo health department has advised its residents to take precautions amid a malaria outbreak that has claimed the lives of two people in the province. 

In a statement, the department said there were 1,423 cases over the past two weeks. This, the department said, was relatively high. In the 2022/2023 financial year, there were 1,745 cases. 

“The current surge is attributed to favourable weather conditions for mosquito breeding and the travelling season during the Easter holidays which saw people travelling to the malaria endemic areas in the region,” the department said. 

“The surge in the province is reported mainly in the malaria epidemic-prone areas of Vhembe (northern & eastern lowveld areas) and the eastern part of the Mopani region. Of these cases, 820 were reported from Vhembe and 423 from Mopani. Donald Fraser, Malamulele, Tshilidzini, Letaba, Maphuta Malatji and Nkhensani hospitals, and the clinics within the feeder areas of these hospitals are reporting the majority of the cases,” the department added.

It cautioned people from all areas to be alert.

Malaria is a treatable condition when discovered early and community members are advised to visit their nearest healthcare facilities as soon as they suspect they might have contracted the disease.

Symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms such as shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea may also occur in some cases.

To minimise people contracting malaria, the department has embarked on indoor residual spraying. So far, it has reportedly sprayed over a million households. 

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