Botswana health authorities have issued a travel advisory to the country’s citizens planning to travel to neighbouring South Africa, asking them to be cautions to avoid getting infected with the deadly listeriosis disease.
An outbreak of the disease has killed 37 people in South Africa since it was first detected, authorities there said.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID), 557 cases of listeriosis have been reported in South Africa since January this year, with 345 of them being in Gauteng.
The authorities said the cases were reported in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
“The Ministry of Health and Wellness advises all travelers to South Africa to take all necessary precaution such as eating hygienically prepared, properly packed and well cooked foods and maximize personal hygiene during feeding,” the Botswana advisory read in part.
PRESS RELEASE: LISTERIOSIS OUTBREAK ALERT IN SOUTH AFRICA
The general public is hereby notified of an outbreak of #Listeriosis in South Africa. A total of 557 laboratory confirmed cases and 36 deaths have been reported from all provinces. pic.twitter.com/Wpr455A5fI
— Botswana Government (@BWGovernment) December 12, 2017
Listeria is caused by bacteria and manifests itself in flu-like illness with diarrhoea including fever, general body pain, vomiting and weakness, as well as infection of the blood stream and infection of the brain.
Individuals at high risk of developing severe disease include newborn babies, the elderly, pregnant women, persons with weak immunity such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, chronic liver or kidney disease.
Authorities in Johannesburg last week launched a campaign to sensitize the public on ways to prevent further spread of the disease.
