South Africa on high health alert

Three people have died in South Africa from an “unknown highly infectious disease” believed to have originated in Zambia in over three weeks. The Star newspaper reported Monday that the country`s health officials are on high health alert after the deaths in Johannesburg. According to the paper a third person died on Sunday adding that she was a 34-year-old nurse at Morningside Medi-Clinic in Sandton, who was in contact with the first patient. The first patient had taken ill and died three weeks ago.

The paper further quoted the country’s Health Department spokesperson Fidel Hadebe as saying the department, in a bid to contain the outbreak, was trying to trace people with whom the deceased may have come in contact.“Also, healthcare workers and family members are being monitored for raised temperatures and fluke-like symptoms for a period of 21 days,” said Hadebe.

The first victim was 36-year-old woman from Zambia who was brought to South Africa on September 12 after being critically ill for three weeks. Meanwhile 11 people are in isolation, being closely monitored for fluke-like symptoms as health authorities work to stop the spread of the unknown disease.