City of CT says ‘fake news’ WhatsApp messages linking tap water to typhoid fever – CapeTalk

The City of Cape Town insists that tap water is safe to drink in the metro.

The City of Cape Town has rubbished WhatsApp messages linking its water supply to the reported cluster outbreak of typhoid fever in the metro.

The Citys mayco member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien has stressed that Cape Towns tap water is safe to drink.

In a statement, the City says it's aware of fake news messages circulating in community WhatsApp groups, asking the public not to drink municipal-supplied tap water.

According to Badroodien, the fake news messages are also inaccurately linking typhoid fever mentioned in a recent article to the Citys water supply.

He says that the municipality continually monitors drinking water to ensure it complies with the strict requirements of the South African National Drinking Water Standard (SANS241).

"All drinking water samples tested this week complied with the South African National Drinking Water Standard on Acute Health Determinands and pose no health risk to the public, Badroodien adds.

The City of Cape Town assures residents that our tap water is safe to drink.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported three cluster outbreaks in the Western Cape and one in the North West.

The Western Cape has reported a total of 64 cases across three districts the Cape Town Metro, the Cape Winelands, and the Garden Route.

RELATED: Officials tracing three cluster outbreaks of typhoid fever across Western Cape

Typhoid fever, also called enteric fever, is a bacterial infection that is spread by drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food.

Dr. Juno Thomas from the NICD says diagnosing typhoid fever can be challenging due to its common and often flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, nausea.

According to the City, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of children brought to health facilities with symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration.

The City's Patricia van der Ross has attributed these cases to poor hygiene and very hot conditions in Cape Town, not typhoid fever.

Unclean hands can spread viruses that cause diarrhoea. During hot summer days, food can easily get spoilt. If eaten, this can also cause diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration. It is important to prepare and store food safely and to practice good hand hygiene at all times.

Visit link:

City of CT says 'fake news' WhatsApp messages linking tap water to typhoid fever - CapeTalk