South African Heath officials are investigating the possibility that the source of the recent cholera outbreak in Tshwane is due to inter-provincial transmission linked to travelling.
Twenty-four people have so far died from the bacterial disease in the past two weeks.
Twenty-three of the fatalities were recorded in Tshwane, with one in the Free State.
However, there is speculation that the poor water quality in the capital city could be the cause of the recent cholera outbreak.
But the Department of Health has revealed an accurate source for the outbreak would only be determined following the conclusion of investigations.
Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said the first reported cholera case was that of a 56-year-old man, who travelled from Musina, Limpopo, to complete a three-week police training course in Hammanskraal.
He said the man complained of diarrhoea and abdominal pains on his fifth day in Gauteng that saw him hospitalised.
Phaahla said although this didn’t prove that the man was the source of the cholera outbreak, it was important to determine if there were possible sources.
“I am mentioning this because as we trace where the origin of the germ of cholera is from, some of these things we have to reflect on.”
He said the 56-year-old is in a stable condition in hospital.
