Mystery illness spreading?
2008-10-07 12:00
Johannesburg - A 51-year-old woman has been admitted to Chris Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg with symptoms of the unknown illness that has so far claimed three lives in South Africa, the Department of Health said on Tuesday.
A department spokesperson said the woman was admitted on Monday.
She however could not disclose whether the woman was a relative of one of the victims.
The first casualty of the viral disease was a 36-year-old woman who was airlifted from Zambia to the Morningside Medi-Clinic in Sandton on September 12.
She was treated for tick bite fever and other potential infections but died two days later.
A Zambian paramedic who had accompanied her into the country died last week and a nurse at the Morningside Medi-Clinic died on Sunday.
The cleaner at the hospital also died on Sunday, but the health department was unable to link her death to the initial three cases.
- SAPA