Advertisement

Physician Dr Mkhuseli Mashiyi said the child was badly dehydrated.

He was moved to the high care unit earlier in the day, after being admitted to the paediatric section on Tuesday.

"He is critically ill," Mashiyi said.

Outbreak being contained
The hospital was also treating seven other cholera patients - who were all stable. Most of them were expected to be discharged on Thursday.

Mashiyi said that Wednesday was the first day since the start of the outbreak that the hospital has not seen any new cases, even out-patients.

"This seems to be a good sign that the outbreak is being contained."

KwaZulu-Natal also affected
In KwaZulu-Natal, 18 cholera patients were in hospital on Wednesday, according to the provincial health department. They were all stable.

Fifteen new cases had been reported in the province since Tuesday, the department said in a statement.

Since August 2000, 120 803 cases have been reported in KwaZulu-Natal while 290 people have died.

Health education necessary
Water affairs and forestry minister Ronnie Kasrils expressed regret at the deaths and extended condolences to the next of kin.

The outbreak, his department said in a statement, was the result of unhygienic practices such as not washing one's hands after using the toilet and/or before handling food - hence the importance of health education.

Provincial police disaster management co-ordinator, Captain John Fobian, visited the cholera-stricken areas on Wednesday to consider what the police could do to assist.

Possible assistance from the police could include crowd control at clinics, reporting cholera cases to the relevant authorities, and possibly making vehicles available. – (Sapa)

Rate this article Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent