South African high commissioner to Zambia, Sikose Mji has explained that there is no need for the Zambian community to panic over vegetable and fruits imports from that country following an outbreak of listeriosis.
Listeriosis is a serious, but treatable and
preventable disease caused by the bacterium, Listeria Monocytogenes and is
widely distributed in nature and can be found in soil, water and vegetation.
The World Health Organization has said South
Africa's Listeria outbreak, with nearly 750 confirmed cases, is believed to be
the largest-ever outbreak of the bacterial disease of listeriosis.
And The Zambian national farmers union
expressed concern that Zambia imports more vegetables and fruits from South
Africa hence there might be a risk of local community being infected.
But Ambassador Mji has said that there is no
need to overreact.
“It’s a bit
of an overreaction I think, to say fruits and vegetables from South Africa should
be restricted. To start with none of the things we export are exported without proper
standardization and health checks, so why would we send precisely those that
are not,” She wondered.
Healthy adults and children sometimes are
infected, but they rarely become seriously ill. Babies can be born with
listeriosis if their mothers eat contaminated food during pregnancy.
“The ministry
of home affairs has advised us to pass information that Individuals at
high risk of developing severe disease include newborns, the elderly, pregnant
women, persons with weak immunity such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, chronic liver
or kidney disease,” Said Mji.
INFECTION WITH LISTERIA MAY RESULT IN THE
FOLLOWING CONDITIONS
. Flu like illness with diarrhoea including
fever, general body pains, vomiting and weakness.
. Infection of the blood stream which is called
septiceamia.
. Meningoencephalitis (infection of the brain).
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