‘No need for panic’, says NICD amid 87 new listeriosis cases
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed 87 new listeriosis cases since September 2018.
But at the same time NICD has moved to quell fears that an outbreak might be on the horizon.
Listeriosis made headlines in 2018 after Tiger Brands' admission that the outbreak was caused by a strain found in their factory.
In a statement on Tuesday, the institution says data reveals that with the current population size of 58.8 million South Africa can expect up to 294 sporadic cases per year.
This after, a total of 1 060 Listeriosis cases were reported in 2017 and 2018, that resulted in the deaths of 216 people.
Data for South Africa dating back to 2013 shows that prior to the 2017/18 listeriosis outbreak, 55 to 113 cases were reported annually.