Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has urged people experiencing symptoms of Listeriosis to seek immediate medical attention.
This after at least 36 people died following an outbreak the food-borne disease in the country.
Motsoaledi says a total of 557 Listeriosis cases have been reported across the country, most of them in Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
He says the bacteria can be found in soil, water and vegetation and those who could easily contract the disease include new-born babies, the elderly‚ pregnant women and persons with weak immunity.
He says Listeriosis is not contagious and is a treatable and preventable disease.
He says the only way to get it is through contaminated food.
“If you get Listeria three things can happen to you. You can get flu like symptoms such as headache, fever, diarrhea, general body pains, weakness, vomiting, etc. But you might also get septicemia which means your whole blood stream is now infected. That is very dangerous and you could end up in ICU,” says Motsoaledi.
“You may also get Meningoencephalitis, meaning the brain and membranes around the brain. There you don’t have to ask, you will feel very sick and could even have convulsions and go into a coma or die, he adds.
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