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Residents of Philippolis are lamenting subsequent spikes in the prevalence of influenza B and human rhinovirus infections that represent impending health scares.
The cause of the contagious viruses spreading widely is still unknown, and this has fuelled fear of a worsening situation – with raw sewage spillages freely flowing down the streets of the township, which is under the rule of the Kopanong Local Municipality in the Free State’s Xhariep region.
The provincial Department of Health has indicated it is awaiting laboratory results to gather relevant information pertaining to the viruses, before an informed public decision can be made.
Diagnoses involving these viruses led the provincial Department of Education to temporarily close the Bergmanshoogte Intermediate School and the Philippolis Primary School from 7 to 13 March.
Since detection of the first cases on 21 February, numerous primary school learners have been treated at a local clinic, with those severely affected undergoing treatment at Mediclinic in Bloemfontein and the Alfred Nzula District Hospital in Trompsburg.
Thus far, ten children were treated at hospitals, affected parents have confirmed with BloemExpress.
This includes two high school learners treated at the Alfred Nzula hospital on Monday, 11 March, after being diagnosed with symptoms corresponding to infection with these viruses.
The pair reportedly returned to school on Monday, 18 March.
The symptoms range from swollen lips to dizziness, fever, difficulty breathing, stomach cramps, coughing, sneezes and a sore throat.
Howard Ndaba, spokesperson for the Department of Education, confirmed that more learners of both primary schools had returned to school on Monday.
Given the severity of the viruses, learners of the primary schools have been advised to wear face masks as part of a personal protective health measure to prevent a possible spike in infection.
This followed a meeting on Friday, 15 March, between the school’s management and the Schools Governing Body (SBG).
Parents say an insufficient supply of fresh tap water for the hygienic washing of hands and flushing of toilets in bathrooms remain their gravest concern.
Residents of this town have been subjected to 30% water restriction for over a year now, since March last year, owing to the municipality failing to honour its payment to the supplier, the Vaal Central Water Board. The severely cash-strapped municipality’s debt to the water board kept growing beyond its ability and is now reportedly over R600 million.
In 2020 the municipality owed the supplier over R300 million, in 2021 the debt stood at R400 million and in 2022 it rose to over R500 million.
