News / National
Typhoid case in Nkayi linked to Mbare
19 Jan 2018 at 00:42hrs | Views
THE typhoid outbreak in Harare is suspected to have been trafficked to Nkayi District in Matabeleland North.
The Herald on Tuesday reported that about 200 new cases were detected this month, roughly three months after an outbreak was detected in Mbare. As such, when a 17-year-old patient from the Sesemba area of Nkayi tested positive, it was also established that he had visited relatives in Harare.
Dr Nyasha Masuka, the province's medical director confirmed the case.
"We recorded a case of typhoid within the province from a young man who had visited Harare. Investigations have proved that his family in Harare once suffered the disease but were treated. In the meantime, we are closely monitoring and have tested the rest of his family members in Nkayi. Stool samples have been taken and we are waiting for results.
"The patient is being treated in isolation and hospital is doing infection prevention and control. Communities have been sensitised and Environmental Health Technicians and Village Health Workers are on high alert," he said.
Nkayi District Medical Officer Dr Thabani Moyo said the patient first presented with symptoms of Malaria, which he however, tested negative on 27 December 2017.
"A 17-year-old male fell sick on December 20 and went to Sesemba Clinic on December 27 with a headache, diarrhoea and vomiting, tested negative for malaria and was treated with antibiotics for diarrhoea. He improved but got very sick on January 5 with same symptoms. He went to Mbuma Mission on January 6 where he was diagnosed with perforation of the intestines and typhoid fever. Blood samples were sent to Mpilo Central Hospital and the results were positive.
"It turned out he had been in Harare for three months living in Mbare suburb where there were no toilets and using the bush. His relatives in Harare had also been diagnosed and treated for typhoid," he said.
Dr Moyo said the patient was still admitted and recovering at Mbuma Mission Hospital.
"If typhoid is left untreated it causes perforation of the small intestines. The patient is currently admitted and recovering at Mbuma hospital and investigations done have confirmed the diagnosis of typhoid. We still await results for investigations done on his close contacts, the relatives," he said.
In September last year, Nkayi was hit by a diarrhoea outbreak with more than 80 cases having been recorded in a week.
It was suspected that people drank contaminated water.
During that same month, a family of nine in Nkayi was put under surveillance as it was feared to have contracted rabies after consuming milk from a cow that had been bitten by a stray rabid dog.
The family admitted to have milked the cow for over a month until it died that week after it had been bitten by the dog.
The Herald on Tuesday reported that about 200 new cases were detected this month, roughly three months after an outbreak was detected in Mbare. As such, when a 17-year-old patient from the Sesemba area of Nkayi tested positive, it was also established that he had visited relatives in Harare.
Dr Nyasha Masuka, the province's medical director confirmed the case.
"We recorded a case of typhoid within the province from a young man who had visited Harare. Investigations have proved that his family in Harare once suffered the disease but were treated. In the meantime, we are closely monitoring and have tested the rest of his family members in Nkayi. Stool samples have been taken and we are waiting for results.
"The patient is being treated in isolation and hospital is doing infection prevention and control. Communities have been sensitised and Environmental Health Technicians and Village Health Workers are on high alert," he said.
Nkayi District Medical Officer Dr Thabani Moyo said the patient first presented with symptoms of Malaria, which he however, tested negative on 27 December 2017.
"A 17-year-old male fell sick on December 20 and went to Sesemba Clinic on December 27 with a headache, diarrhoea and vomiting, tested negative for malaria and was treated with antibiotics for diarrhoea. He improved but got very sick on January 5 with same symptoms. He went to Mbuma Mission on January 6 where he was diagnosed with perforation of the intestines and typhoid fever. Blood samples were sent to Mpilo Central Hospital and the results were positive.
"It turned out he had been in Harare for three months living in Mbare suburb where there were no toilets and using the bush. His relatives in Harare had also been diagnosed and treated for typhoid," he said.
Dr Moyo said the patient was still admitted and recovering at Mbuma Mission Hospital.
"If typhoid is left untreated it causes perforation of the small intestines. The patient is currently admitted and recovering at Mbuma hospital and investigations done have confirmed the diagnosis of typhoid. We still await results for investigations done on his close contacts, the relatives," he said.
In September last year, Nkayi was hit by a diarrhoea outbreak with more than 80 cases having been recorded in a week.
It was suspected that people drank contaminated water.
During that same month, a family of nine in Nkayi was put under surveillance as it was feared to have contracted rabies after consuming milk from a cow that had been bitten by a stray rabid dog.
The family admitted to have milked the cow for over a month until it died that week after it had been bitten by the dog.
Source - bmetro
