NICD alert as SA diphtheria deaths pass 40
South Africa has recorded another death linked to a diphtheria outbreak, bringing the total death toll to over 40. While new case reports have slowed, health authorities emphasize that the outbreak is not over and urge continued vaccination efforts.
Why it matters
Highlights ongoing public health challenges and the critical importance of vaccination coverage in preventing the resurgence of infectious diseases.
South Africa has recorded another death in a lab-confirmed diphtheria case, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases ’ latest surveillance update, which says the Western Cape remains the centre of the recent outbreak.
SA Health News reports that the week 40 update, based on data collected until 4 October, says no new confirmed toxigenic diphtheria cases had been added since the previous report, but that one additional death was recorded.
The national case count therefore remains at 43 confirmed respiratory diphtheria cases, alongside 10 asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae identified through surveillance and contact tracing.
The preceding NICD report showed that 35 of the 43 confirmed cases were in the Western Cape, with Limpopo accounting for five confirmed cases and Gauteng three.
Four laboratory-confirmed cases had been added in the preceding reporting period: two from the Western Cape, one from Gauteng and one from Limpopo.
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