Diarrhea Outbreak Hits South Africa's Capetown

South Africa Moderate // Epidemic

CAPE TOWN -- Based on official statistics issued on Monday, the city of Cape Town has been gripped by an outbreak of diarrhea which has led to the death of two kids and the hospitalization of hundreds of other children. Almost 300 have been admitted to the Red Cross Children's Hospital spanning the period between November and December. The Mayoral Committee for Health (MCH) added that over 2,500 children also received treatment at local clinics for moderate to severe dehydration caused by the inflammatory disease. According to Sandile Bontsa, the spokesman for the MCH, the number of diarrhea cases diagnosed in children this season had risen slightly when compared with the same period last year. He added that only a total of 57 children out of 2,519 received treatment for severe dehydration. Bonstsa went on to say that residents in informal settlements are especially at risk due to the poor sanitation in such areas. Summer is the time for diarrhea outbreaks which typically begins in November and reaches its peak in February and March. It's the season when bacteria breeds because of the heat, causing serious gastric diseases.

Source: http://www.ubalert.com/9K5

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