LISTERIOSIS TRAILS THE WOLRD INTO SOUTH AFRICA THREATNING HUMAN MORTALITY

Wednesday 07 March 2018 16:00GMT [CWSN] Kesia Qulu

The South African population endures the unwelcome deadly guess at their dinner table presence of listeriosis, which has wormed its way into consumers most preferred dairy, meats and vegetables claiming 180 kills and 900 ills in the country’s North East, North West and East Coast. The Tiger Brands Polokwane Enterprise factory manufactured with listeriosis. Consumers bought coffins and pills in the form of polony, chicken, russian and others.

According to the Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Friday, February 2^nd, 2018 the Department of Health and Agriculture (DHA) alongside three experts from World Health Organization (WHO) paid an official inspection visit to the Polokwane Enterprise factory. From 300 samples that were tested, 16 came back with a positive result on the ST6 type-strain, which caused 91% illness, another 100 from the batch tested positive for listeria monocytogenes. “We can now conclude scientifically that the source of the present outbreak is the Enterprise food production facility located in Polokwane”, he said.

Polokwane, Gauteng and Kwazulu/Natal dwellers mourn while the rest of the country fears for their lives, with every bite people ask: “Am I biting listeriosis and is this my last supper?”

Connect World Sector News (CWSN) took to the streets to hear what community members had to say:

Lindiwe Zulu, a street vender who also supplies schools with eateries such as (amagwinya polony and hot dogs) said: “Yesterday, I lost a lot of business because children refused to buy my food because they have been advised to stay away from my food”. She cried as she complained about how the listeriosis outbreak has affected her livelihood.

The vicious killer bacteria is a familiar visitor in the United States hitting pockets of cities at a time, also leaving casualties behind. Its trail can be tracked as early as between 1996 and 1998 and as recent as 2017/18 in cities with a brush of death in: Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming where 123 people were infected and a total of 30 deaths.

In 2008, Canada also suffered the loss of 22 lives from 57 infected persons. Six years later, i.e. in 2014 Macedonia lost four individuals, while Australia undergoes a current struggle with 17 sickened and 4 deaths so far.

Culprit food to stay away from: Vegetables, Chicken, Polony, Sausages and Viennas.

Symptoms of Infection:  Flue, Muscle Ache, Nausea and Diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system, the following symptoms can be experienced: Headache, stiff neck, loss of balance and confusion.

Individuals most vulnerable to infection are: Pregnant Women, the elderly, infants and persons with impaired immune system.

Action plan upon infection suspicion:  URGENTLY SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. Back