Nuusita Ashipala
ONGWEDIVA – Although the number of suspected hepatitis E cases has escalated to 54 from 47 since the last update at the end of May, the region has not recorded any new deaths.
The Director of Health Information and Research Puumue Katjiuanjo said only 13 of the 55 suspected cases have tested positive.
Laboratory results of the other suspected cases were as of Friday still pending.
Katjiuanjo said the Tsandi District Hospital has recorded five positively confirmed cases which is the highest in the region.
Tsandi is followed by Okahao and Outapi district hospitals which both recorded two cases, while Oshikuku registered two cases.
Katjiuanjo said nine people of the confirmed cases have either lived in Havana or Goreangab before travelling to Omusati, while two of the cases have a link with the nine cases.
He said the Ministry of Health and Social Services is doing its level best to contain the disease.
Katjiuanjo, who is based at the ministry’s headquarters in Windhoek, said the officials on the ground are joined by the City of Windhoek to assist the ministry to test water for contamination in the areas where there are suspected cases.
“We have been educating the public and we were quite impressed with what the public have also put in place on their own, especially the open markets,” said Katjiuanjo.
In addition, the team distributed purification tablets, jars and basins.
Although the virus has this year claimed 14 lives in Windhoek it has reportedly only claimed one life in Omusati.