Listeriosis outbreak claims 36 lives in S. Africa

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of listeriosis has claimed 36 lives in South Africa, health authorities said on Tuesday.

The deaths were reported out of the 557 laboratory confirmed cases tracing from January 1 to November 29 this year, according to the Department of Health.

Most cases have been reported from Gauteng Province (62 percent), followed by Western Cape (13 percent) and KwaZulu-Natal (7 percent), while the remaining 18 percent is distributed in the remaining six provinces, the department said.

Listeriosis is a serious, but treatable and preventable disease caused by the bacterium, listeria monocytogenes. The bacteria is widely distributed in nature and can be found in soil, water and vegetation. Animal products and fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables can be contaminated from these sources.

Symtoms from the food-borne disease include diarrhoea, fever, general body pains, vomiting and weakness.

Although anyone can get listeriosis, those at high risk of developing severe disease include newborns, the elderly, pregnant women and persons with weak immunity.

Also on Tuesday, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi assured South Africans that his department, together with other concerned departments, will work hard to manage food safety in the country.

There are four possible sources of listeriosis in general, which include farms, food processing plants, retail shops and food preparations at home, Motsoaledi told a press conference in Pretoria, video-linked to Cape Town.

"The source of this outbreak is currently being investigated, and all the stakeholders are cooperating with the investigation led by the NICD (National Institute for Communicale Diseases)," he said.

Environmental health officers are following up diagnosed cases and are visiting patients' homes to sample food where available, Motsoaledi said. Enditem