No listeria fears for Namibia

Namibia is safe from contaminated food products which have caused an outbreak of listeria in South Africa and caused the death of at least 37 people.But Namibians travelling to South Africa for the festive season should be careful not to eat contaminated food and take the necessary precautionary measures. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa as insidious and widespread, affecting all provinces.“This event requires meticulous investigations to identify the source of infection,” it said. Travel alerts have been issued to tourists visiting South Africa, warning against the disease and providing information about symptoms and what precautions can be taken. Listeriosis is a potentially serious bacterial infection that contaminates food and is particularly dangerous to pregnant women, causing premature labour and stillbirth, and neonatal meningitis. The listeria bacteria cause a flu-like illness with diarrhoea, fever, body aches, vomiting and weakness, as well as infection of the bloodstream and infection of the brain.Listeriosis can also occur in some animals, including poultry and cattle. Raw milk and foods made from raw milk can also carry the bacteria.The chief veterinary officer in the agriculture ministry, Dr Milton Masheke, yesterday told Namibian Sun that Namibians need not be concerned that contaminated food would be imported from South Africa into Namibia. He stressed that strict measures were in place for testing food products before any products are imported. According to Masheke, the biggest threat is cooking in unhygienic conditions. When meat is properly cooked the bacteria are destroyed even if the meat was contaminated. The infection is spread by raw food products that are contaminated with the bacteria. However, he pointed out that cross-contamination between foods can also take place and it is therefore important to wash your hands when working with food.“It can happen that you are spicing meat and you then spread the bacteria to the salad. The issue of hygiene and safe handling is extremely important.”The South African Department of Health is still busy with investigations into the source of the listeria outbreak. According to the WHO, the South African National Department of Health notified the organisation of the outbreak in the country on 6 December. The outbreak was detected in October this year when increasing cases of the disease were noticed.Individuals at high risk of developing severe disease include newborn babies, the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with weak immunity such as those who have HIV, diabetes, cancer or chronic liver or kidney disease.According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID), 557 cases of listeriosis have been reported in South Africa since January this year, with 345 of them being in Gauteng.Of these confirmed cases there has been a fatality rate of 6.5%.Evidence suggests that most of the patients were exposed to a widely available, common food source. “This increase and the associated deaths are worrying, particularly in the face of South Africa's high prevalence of HIV infection. The current flooding in Gauteng Province and recently in KwaZulu-Natal, and the severe drought in the Western Cape, may well exacerbate the situation, with associated problems with safe food storage and general hygiene. “Street-food vendors are common across South Africa and poorly regulated and many people lack access to electricity and thus refrigeration. Authorities need to act swiftly and efficiently to prevent the outbreak from spreading further,” the WHO warned. People are advised to take precautionary measures when consuming raw dairy products such as unpasteurised milk and soft cheeses; ensure they eat well-cleaned vegetables; avoid dried meat and other ready-to-eat meats and smoked fish products; and wash their hands with soap. ELLANIE SMIT

No listeria fears for Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-23

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No listeria fears for Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-23

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