Communities warned as malaria cases increase in Mbombela, Nkomazi

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Communities warned as malaria cases increase in Mbombela, Nkomazi
FILE: The Mpumalanga Health Department is warning communities to be on the lookout for symptoms of Malaria. PICTURE BY The Health Orange.

People are asked to notice symptoms and rush to their nearest healthcare centres.


The health department in the Mpumalanga province is cautioning all people to watch out as malaria cases increase in parts of the province.

Officials say though cases have gone down in Bushbuckridge they have increased alarmingly in Mbombela and Nkomazi.

“January is one of the peak months of malaria,” departmental spokesman Dumisani Malamule said.

“High number of cases were observed in December 2017,” Malamule said in a statement.

“The department has noticed a slight decrease of malaria cases in Bushbuckridge during January 2018 while increases are observed in Nkomazi and Mbombela,” he said.

He said 7636 cases have been recorded in the area between April 2017 and January 2018.

83 people have died since then and the department is urging everyone to check for the following symptoms:

–  Flu-like illnesses (sweating, coughing)

–  Fever, headache, dizziness

–  General body weaknesses, pains and loss of appetite

–  Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting

(edited by ZK)

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