7 Aug 2017

Samoa rejects typhoid reports

5:29 am on 7 August 2017
Typhoid

Typhoid Photo: 123.rf

Samoa's Minister of health Tuitama Leao Talalelei Tuitama has rejected reports of a typhoid outbreak in the Pacific.

The Samoa Observer reported the minister denying an outbreak in Samoa and advising the public to take no heed of the inaccurate reports from overseas.

He pointed out that both the Ministry of Health and the National Health Services were well equipped to deal with such an outbreak if it does happen.

Tuitama spoke of a system in place to deal with such cases as suspected cases are immediately tested and if positive the surveillance division is informed.

The division then conducts investigations to isolate the cause of the typhoid.

He told the newspaper that typhoid cases are endemic in Samoa.

According to the minister typhoid can be cured if detected early and he says it is not like ebola which is a very deadly disease and there is no cure.

He said that with typhoid when it is detected and treated and within two weeks it is gone and there is no danger in that.

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