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Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System Date: 09 Oct 2008 Title: Govt, authorities collaborate to deal with mystery disease -------------------- By Bathandwa Mbola Pretoria -The National Outbreak Response Team (NORT) is working around the clock to support the provincial Outbreak Response Teams with guidelines, active field surveillance and the tracing of contacts following the outbreak of suspected hemorrhagic fever in Gauteng. Briefing reporters following cabinet's ordinary meeting, Government Spokesperson Themba Maseko said a Rapid Response Team (RRT) has also been established, consisting of public and private health sector representatives, to coordinate efforts to deal with the situation promptly. "This team meets on a daily basis to coordinate responses and to constantly monitor the situation in all our hospitals and clinics." This follows the death of three people in Johannesburg, suspected to have contracted Viral Hemorrhagic Fever. The first victim was flown in from Zambia and admitted to the Morningside Medi-Clinic in mid-September, in a critical condition. She died two days later. The paramedic who had flown with her was forced to return to South Africa two weeks later and was admitted at the same clinic with similar symptoms. He later died. This weekend, the third patient, a nurse from the Morningside Medi-Clinic, died and is thought to have contracted the virus. Symptoms of the suspected infectious disease include vomiting; nausea; diarrhoea, high temperature and skin rash. The health department has said people at risk of contracting the suspected disease are those who have been in close contact with the affected patients. According to Mr Maseko, government is already working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in order to access their global expertise in dealing with outbreak responses. The CDC, he said, has undertaken to expedite the processing of samples to ensure that test results are made available as quickly as possible. Blood samples were sent to the US to determine exactly what the virus is. "We are confident that the test results will shed more light on this virus so that appropriate measures could be put in place as soon as possible." Mr Maseko said government has urged the public not to panic as the situation was being dealt with. "All South Africans must take comfort in the fact that our health professionals are skilled and ready to deal with any emergency," Mr Maseko told reporters, adding that government would further monitor the situation closely. Any person who experiences the listed symptoms is advised to seek medical treatment or contact the Emergency Medical Services 24 hour hotline on 011 564 2083. - BuaNews |
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