Malaria claims 54 in three provinces
Health officials still to confirm actual number of fatalities from disease
At least 54 people have died out of the confirmed 4 715 patients who contracted malaria in the northern parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZuluNatal.
Limpopo recorded the highest number of infections, with 3 117 cases since the last week of April, while Mpumalanga confirmed 1 257 infections. Four deaths were confirmed in KwaZulu Natal where 341 people were diagnosed. Because of drought, last year Limpopo and Mpumalanga had lower deaths at nine and seven respectively, compared to 25 and 34 recorded in 2015. In 2014, Limpopo lost 100 people, while 35 died in Mpumalanga.
Limpopo’s health department was cagey about revealing the exact fatality figures. It only said current deaths accounted for 1% of the 3 117 cases. However, when Sowetan calculated that figure, it showed a total of at least 31 deaths. When presented with these facts, the department’s spokesman Derrick Kganyago refused to confirm them as he said they were subject to an audit.
He said that since the upsurge, which resulted in hospitals in the Vhembe and Capricorn districts being congested, his department had taken measures such as community awareness programmes and supplying clinics with efficient testing and treatment kits.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said it had been informed that Limpopo had 33 deaths so far as counting was continuing.
Three grieving families in Giyani, Limpopo, last week, blamed the government for not doing enough. They also raised questions on whether there was a new, stronger strain of the disease because in some cases their relatives died within four days of falling sick and being admitted at hospitals.
“We are at risk too. We are still shocked that he died so soon after we took him to hospital immediately after he showed symptoms,” said Mavis Mafumu whose older brother, Freddy Mhlanga, 54, was buried last week.
Mhlanga fell ill on May 6 and was immediately taken to Giyani’s Nkhensani Hospital where he died four days later.
Professor Lucille Blumberg from the NICD said there was no fresh strain but that malaria was a rapidly progressive disease and complications such as renal failure and lung problems accelerated deaths as they were difficult to treat.
The upsurge was attributed to recent rainfalls and the Easter holidays because some people had travelled to neighbouring countries where malaria was endemic.
Mpumalanga recorded 17 fatalities and investigation was under way to establish the cause of death in six other cases, said provincial health spokesman Dumisani Malamule. The worst hit areas were Bushbuckridge where 612 cases were reported, Nkomazi with 370, Mbombela at 225 while Thabachweu and Umjindi had 25 infections each.