Diarrhoea Outbreak in Barberton puts spotlight on water quality

Woman pouring water into bucket
Lacking access clean, safe water can cause infection. (Freepik)
Woman pouring water into bucket
Lacking access clean, safe water can cause infection. (Freepik)

The cause of the outbreak of diarrhoea in Barberton in Mpumalanga is still unknown. More than 600 cases of diarrhoea have been reported in the town since August 2nd when the Department of Health started observing an increase in cases in the Barberton local area, City of Mbombela. 

According to the department, cases are increasing daily and are all over the Barberton localities. However, there are localities that are mostly affected which include: Extensions 11, 10, 12 and 13, Dindela as well as Phola Park.   

“These reported cases are not epidemiologically linked. The common link the community has is that they drink water from three common sources (Rimmers and Suikaap plants and a borehole from Umjindi location). The source of the diarhoeal infections is not yet established, hence, the department is working tirelessly to find the source of this  infection,” says Department of health Mpumalanga spokesperson Dumisane Malamule.  

The disease can be caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. According to the World Health Organisation, it spreads through “contaminated food or drinking-water, or from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene”. Teams from the municipality have collected water samples from areas where cases are high to test for various pathogens, chemicals and chlorine concentration. The results are still pending. 

Years without clean water 

Barberton residents claim that their water woes started in 2016, when Umjindi Local Municipality was merged with Mbombela. 

“It wasn’t until the time Umjindi was amalgamated with Mbombela that we started having unhygienic water (brownish). The only issue we had before then was the supply of water when the reservoir was low or in cases of pipe bursts,” says Simon Dlakude (41) who’s lived in Barberton for over 10 years.

Dlakude is a teacher at a local high school and says several of his learners and fellow teachers recently fell ill. 

“On August 8th, many learners complained about stomach aches and they lined up at the toilet to relieve themselves. Then that’s when we were told that there was a breakout in the whole location of extension 11. After that, almost 20 pupils were rushed to the clinic. Fortunately, none of them had to be hospitalised. They had a running stomach for a few days or up until Monday. However most are well now,” says Dlakude. 

He says officials from the Department of Education visited the school last week and cautioned learners not to drink tap water on the school premises. They were told to drink the water in the staff room that has been purified with the sachet they got from the municipal office. For their safety, they were told to drink boiled water, even at home.

Dlakude says that the breakout has affected them in different ways. Some of his colleagues had to stay home because they were not well. 

“We get by by boiling water, and you can imagine the process just to get drinking water. If we can’t boil water,  we must use our last cent to buy water from the shops, it’s affecting our daily lives,” he says.  

The health department’s Malamule explains that diarrhoea affects people across all areas, age, and income groups, but its impact is not evenly distributed. Several factors influence the prevalence and severity of diarrhoeal diseases. 

“Young children, especially those under five, are particularly vulnerable to diarrhoea due to their developing immune systems and higher likelihood of exposure to contaminated food and water. They also dehydrate more quickly, making diarrhoea more dangerous.”

Diarrhoea is a leading cause of child deaths in South Africa. Malamule says that ensuring the safety of children from diarrhoea, especially those under five, is a multi-faceted approach that involves both household practices and measures implemented at early childhood development centres.

“Older adults and those with weakened immune systems are also at higher risk of severe outcomes from diarrhoea, though they may be less frequently affected than young children,” says Malamule. 

 

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Philip Minnaar, caucus chairperson for the Democratic Alliance in Mbombela, says the town’s been facing water challenges for years.

“Around 2017/18 water problems started, first due to the drought with the Lomati dam running dry. Thereafter, since 2020, reservoirs continuously run dry due to the water purification plants’ capacity not being enough to meet the daily water demand. This resulted in poor water quality and sediment in the pipe network with the constant opening and closing of the network. Furthermore, due to the non-payment of service providers, the plants run out of chemicals from time to time, making it extremely difficult for municipal workers to provide good and proper service,” says Minnaar. 

“We urge the mayor and executive arm to take the residents of Umjindi Barberton seriously.  The constant inability and lack of proper service delivery result in situations like this and place unfair and unnecessary suffering on the residents of Umjindi Barberton,” he tells Health-e News. 

Curbing the spread of disease 

Outbreak response teams have been mobilised to manage the situation and respond to emerging cases. Epidemiological case investigation and case finding efforts are underway to investigate reported cases and identify any additional cases in the community.

Health teams have been deployed to educate the community, emphasising the importance of basic hygiene practices, such as proper handwashing, and the safe handling of food and water. 

Malamule says communities have been advised on how oral rehydration therapy, zinc supplements, vaccination and health education can help.

“The Department of Health will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as more information becomes available. We urge the public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families,” says Malamule. – Health-e News  

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