Although there is still no explanation why South Africa has responded differently to the Andes hantavirus outbreak than the rest of the world, the department of health said the infections were under control with tracing and tracking still ongoing.
Department of health spokesperson Foster Mogale confirmed that the number of possible contacts in South Africa with hantavirus-infected people has increased to 97.
97 contacts monitored
Mogale said the department was working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to trace cases locally and its focus is to find all those who could have been in contact with infected persons.
“The condition of a British man who was admitted to hospital in Johannesburg after falling ill is gradually improving. The patient is clinically improving but still ill. His condition is improving, gradually.”
Mogale said the man was medically evacuated to South Africa on 27 April, after presenting with a fever, shortness of breath and signs of pneumonia.
Medical expert Dr Angelique Coetzee said she wasn’t aware of any new documented cases linked to the Airlink passengers possibly exposed to the virus.
The British patient was flown from St Helena to Johannesburg on a commercial Airlink flight with 88 passengers and crew.
Airlink flight with patient and 88 passengers
“Unfortunately, for about six to eight weeks after exposure, you can still test negative.
“As per my knowledge, they are in home isolation,” she said.
Coetzee said the use of hazmat suits is not compulsory, as the risk of spread from person to person is very low.
“Normal precautionary measures should be fine,” she added.
South African Medical Association chair Mvuyisi Mzukwa said the confirmed cases were connected to a specific exposure history associated with the cruise ship and were not linked to community transmission within South Africa.
Risk remains very low for average South African
“For an average South African, the risk remains very low. The current identified cases are linked to a specific exposure history associated with the cruise ship outbreak and it is not community spread within the South African community,” he said.
Mzukwa added that health authorities are continuing to closely monitor the situation and that there is no evidence of sustained local transmission in the country.
Mzukwa also said that there was no indication that local rodent species commonly carry the strain of hantavirus associated with severe respiratory illness seen in parts of the Americas.
