Download OUTBREAK RESPONSE TEAM ON HIGH ALERT AROUND JUSKEI

OUTBREAK RESPONSE TEAM ON HIGH ALERT AROUND JUSKEI RIVER
In a bid to mitigate any potential water borne disease outbreaks, the Gauteng MEC
for Health Ms Qedani Mahlangu, have dispatched an outbreak response team in the
surrounding areas of Juskei River following the recent flash flooding and the
subsequent bursting of the river banks.
The Juskei River is one of the longest rivers in Gauteng and like most major rivers in
South Africa it flows through several industrialised and semi-rural areas hence it is
always heavily contaminated. Some of the impoverished residents of the Alexandria
townships with shacks along the river banks sometimes access water from this river
for domestic purposes.
Although no cases have been reported yet, the Outbreak team is currently educating
people about E. Coli infections which lie squarely on both domestic and
environmental sanitations in order to alleviate any possible disease outbreak
resulting from this bacterial contamination. Residents around the area are urged to
wash hands with soap and water before eating and after visiting the bathroom as
well as washing of fruits and vegetable before their consumption.
Furthermore residents are requested to avoid defecation in the open veld as these
human wastes are swept into the river by the rain, illegal dumping of any type of
wastes into lakes and rivers and drinking of any water with unknown origin or
otherwise this water must be boiled before consumption.
The Gauteng Department of Health Outbreak Response Teams is on high alert.
Health promotion and social mobilization activities around E. coli and other water
borne diseases such as Typhoid and cholera are ongoing in the surrounding areas.
Health Facilities in and around catchment areas of the Juskei River are also on high
alert against all types of diarrheal diseases.