South Africa has recorded its first death from cholera amid fears that current water shortages, deteriorating infrastructure and flooding could fuel the spread of the water-borne disease.
The Ministry of Health confirmed Thursday that one person had died from cholera in the country.
It said announced that confirmed infections had risen to five, just weeks after the country reported it had identified two cases imported from Malawi.
The cases were of sisters who had in January travelled to Malawi where a cholera outbreak since last year has claimed more than 1,000 lives as of January, the highest on record in the country.
Cases are expected to increase, particularly in areas that have faced shortages of water as well as in regions where infrastructure has been destroyed by floods.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae and can be deadly if left untreated. It is mainly spread by contaminated food and water.
JN/APA