'No reason for panic' after two Diphtheria cases detected
Health Minister Joe Phaahla says there is no reason for panic following the detection of Diphtheria cases in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) detected two cases of diphtheria.
The department said the NICD detected the cases in a child in the Western Cape and an adult in KwaZulu-Natal last month.
Diphtheria is an uncommon, but vaccine preventable serious infection caused by a toxin producing bacterium called Corynebacterium diphtheria.
“The bacteria spreads from person to person, usually through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing," says health spokesperson Foster Mohale.
“The toxin may lead to difficulty in breathing, heart rhythm problems, and even death.
“The symptoms of diphtheria include sore throat (with the formation of a membrane on the tonsil and throat), and swollen glands in the front of the neck. Close contacts of known cases are at increased risk of infection.”
Mohale says parents need to get their children vaccinated.
“Routine diphtheria vaccination is part of the childhood vaccine programme and parents are encouraged to get their children vaccinated.
“The vaccine should be given to all children as part of the routine vaccines in the first year of life. Booster doses at the age of 6 and 12 years should also be given. Catch-up vaccination is possible if doses have been missed.”
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