No new cases reported in Ditladi village
The North East District Health Management Team (DHMT) are confident they have arrested a deadly outbreak of Malaria in Ditladi, a small village located some 40km east of Francistown.
There have been six recorded cases of the disease since 2 September, including one fatality.
According to North East District Council Chairperson, Florah Mpetsane, all six cases involved residents from the village’s Lekomoto ward.
Addressing a Full Council session in Masunga on Monday, Mpetsane revealed all six patients reported no history of recent travel, which she admitted was somewhat surprising as Malaria outbreaks in the area were rare.
“Ditladi is a non-malaria endemic area and there are no vector control interventions implemented in the area,” she said.
To address the issue, indoor residual spraying was carried out between 8 and 11 October, with 1, 305 out of 1, 592 rooms sprayed.
She further said advocacy, communication and social mobilisation of the community was strengthened to alert villagers of the ongoing outbreak.
“Sensitization and house-to-house messages on malaria prevention were also done. Through the applied interventions no new cases have been reported,” declared Mpetsane.
Updating the council on other health issues in the District, Mpetsane said great strides have been made in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic.
She noted that for the past two months, NE has recorded a total of 91 cases, 58 in September and 33 in October.
“We had an outbreak in Sekakangwe where 43 cases were recorded between the months of September and October with 23 cases from both junior secondary school and the primary school. However, the outbreak is currently under control,” she said.
The Council Chairperson added they only had two cases that required hospitalisation, with one patient eventually referred to Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital.
She further disclosed that due to low occupancy rates, Masunga Hospital and Tatisiding Clinic are back to admitting general patients, with the understanding that should there be an increase in cases both facilities will revert to admitting Covid-19 patients.
“Likewise the Matsiloje Isolation Centre has also suspended operations and will be restarted in the event Covid -19 cases spike again,” Mpetsane told Council.