Category: Latest News
-
South Africa’s 2025 Flu Season Starts Early: Get Vaccinated Now
Communicated by: National Institute for Communicable Diseases South Africa’s influenza season has officially begun, and it has arrived earlier than expected. The flu season started in the week of 24 March 2025, which is four weeks earlier than last year and marks the earliest start to the flu season since 2010, based on pneumonia surveillance…
-
Travellers Are Advised To Be Vigilant Against Malaria Over The Easter Holidays
Communicated by: National Institute for Communicable Diseases South Africa usually experiences an uptick in malaria cases after the Easter holidays, associated with increased travel to malaria-endemic regions within South Africa and the rest of Africa. Although effective control interventions have reduced the malaria burden in South Africa, the risk of malaria still exists in the…
-
Rabies Prevention and Vaccine Update: Chirorab® Now Available in South Africa
Communicated by: The National Institute for Communicable Diseases Rabies is a fatal, but preventable, viral infection that is endemic in South Africa. Transmission of rabies virus to humans, occurs through exposure to the saliva of an infected animal (mostly domestic dogs, but other animals may also be affected by rabies), most commonly through bites but…
-
Increase in cases of Respiratory Diphtheria in South Africa in 2024 and 2025
Communicated by: National Institute for Communicable Diseases Date: 27 March 2025 Please click on the link below: https://www.nicd.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Media-Statement_Diptheria-Outbreak.pdf
-
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease in South Africa: What you need to know
18 February 2025 Communicated by the National Institute for Communicable Disease Since the beginning of February 2025, hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases have been reported in educational institutions in the eThekwini District. These cases have been found in primary schools and daycare centres in the district’s northern region. Hand, foot, and mouth disease…
-
Be SunSmart Everywhere
Communicated by: CANSA cansa.org.za Although our SunSmart Campaign runs from December to January, CANSA reminds all South Africans to be SunSmart throughout the year and especially during Summer. Sunburn can occur within fifteen minutes, and the damage caused is permanent, irreversible and adds up with each exposure to the sun. Skin cancer is the most…
-
Holiday Rabies Alert: Public and Travellers Warned About Rabies Risks in South Africa’s Dogs, Cape Fur Seals, and Wildlife (November 2024)
As the holidays approach, the public and travellers are warned about rabies in dogs, Cape fur seals and other animals in South Africa Collectively, the departments wish to alert members of the public about high risk rabies areas in South Africa where the disease occurs in dogs, Cape fur seals and other animals. Rabies is…
-
Malaria Advisory for the Kruger National Park – Updated 09 December 2024
SASTM would like to advise visitors to the Park about the risk of malaria and precautionary measures to be taken. The high malaria season runs from September to May, although there is some risk throughout the year, especially after unseasonal rains. Strict mosquito bite prevention measures should be adopted, and the addition of prophylactic medication…