Nuusita Ashipala
ONGWEDIVA – Confirmed Hepatitis E cases in Omusati stand at 11 and not 10 cases as was recently reported.
According to a report released by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the number of suspected cases also stands at 47 and not 41 as was reported by several newspapers yesterday.
So far one person is reported to have died – on May 10.
The patient is said to have tested positive after delivering a baby at the Oshikuku District Hospital.
She later died at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital.
The cases were recorded between January 9 and May 23.
The report was confirmed by the Omusati Regional Health Director Alfons Amoomo.
The report issued by the health ministry also indicated that Tsandi District Hospital recorded the highest number of suspected cases of 23 and five confirmed cases.
Tsandi is followed by Okahao with 17 suspected cases and three confirmed cases of Hepatitis E.
Outapi has five suspected cases and one confirmed case while Oshikuku has two suspected and confirmed cases.
The ministry report further shows that amongst confirmed cases, seven people have a history of travelling from Windhoek while another travelled from Keetmanshoop.
Three people of the confirmed cases have no history of travelling but one is reported to have been in contact with a person from Havana informal settlement in Windhoek.
The virus earlier claimed the lives of 14 people in Windhoek this year.
Omusati Regional Governor Erginus Endjala said a team from Windhoek is expected to meet with the regional team to give their finding on the investigations they have been conducting.
“It is from here that we will be able to tell the public what to [do],” said Endjala.
Endjala said the regional council has however made it a priority to spread the message and inform the public to exercise maximum hygiene in order to contain the disease.