Communicable diseases | Bizcommunity

Communicable diseases | Bizcommunity

News

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) African Regional Certification Commission declared South Africa polio-free in 2019. Image credit: , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Public Health

NICD detects 2 polio virus strains in Cape Town wastewater

22 May 2026

A health worker takes the temperature of a woman passing through the Kanyaruchinya checkpoint, as authorities and aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, in the northern entry into the city of Goma, North Kivu province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Image credit: Reuters/Arlette Bashizi

Infectious Diseases

Stellies leads efforts to curb Ebola outbreak as WHO warns of escalation

21 May 2026

Passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, arrive to take a plane to the Netherlands, at Tenerife Sur airport, Canary Islands, Spain. Image credit: Reuters/Pedro Nunes

Infectious Diseases

Western Cape woman tests negative for hantavirus as WHO cases rise

Charlotte Van Campenhout and Victoria Waldersee 13 May 2026

A US passenger from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, is instructed by personnel after disembarking a boat at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain. Image credit: Reuters/Hannah McKay

Infectious Diseases

SA identifies 97 contacts tied to MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak

12 May 2026

People from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, are transferred by boat to the port after disembarking, at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain. Image credit: Reuters/Hannah McKay

Infectious Diseases

Cruise evacuees face 42-day quarantine to contain hantavirus spread

Corina Pons and Victoria Waldersee 11 May 2026

A drone view of the cruise ship MV Hondius, carrying passengers suspected of having cases of hantavirus on board, leaves Praia, Cape Verde. Image credit: Reuters/Stringer

Infectious Diseases

Western Cape monitors 4 contacts linked to hantavirus outbreak

8 May 2026

SA traces Airlink passengers after cruise-linked hantavirus case

Travel

SA traces Airlink passengers after cruise-linked hantavirus case

7 May 2026

A person in protective clothing walks next to an ambulance during an evacuation operation of suspected hantavirus patients, following an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, in Praia, Cape Verde. Image credit: Reuters/Danilson Sequeira

Infectious Diseases

South Africa traces 62 contacts after fatal Andes hantavirus found

7 May 2026

A boat beside the cruise ship MV Hondius anchored off Cape Verde port, on the day sick passengers were evacuated by boat from the cruise ship, in Praia Port, Cape Verde, in this screengrab obtained from a video. Image credit: Reuters TV via Reuters

Infectious Diseases

NICD confirms rare human-to-human Andes hantavirus in MV Hondius passengers

6 May 2026

Image credit: , , via Wikimedia Commons

Infectious Diseases

SA monitors hantavirus case linked to suspected cruise ship outbreak

4 May 2026

Protect your circle: Get your flu vaccination now!

Public Health

Protect your circle: Get your flu vaccination now!

Issued by Medshield 30 Apr 2026

We won the war against these diseases, then we stopped showing up

Infectious Diseases

We won the war against these diseases, then we stopped showing up

Issued by Medshield 29 Apr 2026

Image credit: on Pexels

Noncommunicable diseases

South Africa introduces first real-time diabetes monitoring dashboard

28 Apr 2026

Source: GroundUp/ Liezl Human.

Land Policy, Reform & Restitution

Farm workers march to Parliament calling for land

Liezl Human 22 Apr 2026

South Africa’s silent health crisis: Lifestyle diseases now outpace infections

Noncommunicable diseases

South Africa’s silent health crisis: Lifestyle diseases now outpace infections

31 Mar 2026

Merilynn Steenkamp from Roche Diagnostics explains how early and accurate diagnostics for preventable illnesses like cervical cancer, HIV, and TB can help protect women’s ability to stay economically active and support broader economic resilience. (Source: )

Women's Health

5 ways women’s health drives economic resilience

1 Apr 2026

The health revolution is real, but SA will win or lose on governance, not gadgets

Medtech

The health revolution is real, but SA will win or lose on governance, not gadgets

25 Feb 2026

The wellness wave: Shaping a healthier South Africa through prevention

Medical Aid

The wellness wave: Shaping a healthier South Africa through prevention

Issued by Medshield 4 Aug 2025

Bridging the gap: High-quality clinical practice in underserved settings

Public Health

Bridging the gap: High-quality clinical practice in underserved settings

Kit Wostenholm, Issued by Crestcare Group 4 Feb 2026

Health Dept. assures SA there is "no immediate risk" of Nipah virus

Infectious Diseases

Health Dept. assures SA there is "no immediate risk" of Nipah virus

2 Feb 2026

Image credit: on Pexels

Noncommunicable diseases

High cholesterol and insulin resistance are rising among young South Africans – what that means for public health

Themba Titus Sigudu 16 Jan 2026

Image credit: Reuters/Denis Balibouse

Paediatrics

Nestlé under fire over the sale of sugary baby food in South Africa

28 Nov 2025

Image credit: on Pexels

Pharmaceuticals

Explainer: GLP-1s and weight management

10 Nov 2025

Image source: Roman Iegoshyn –

Employee Wellness

The cost of absenteeism: Can you afford not to provide staff with health cover?

Lushan Sundram 3 Nov 2025

Image credit: on Pexels

Tuberculosis

Department of Health relaunches South Africa’s TB Caucus

29 Oct 2025

Get instant discounts with Dis-Chem's Better Rewards programme

Health & Beauty

Get instant discounts with Dis-Chem's Better Rewards programme

10 Oct 2025

Image credit: Tula Community on

Noncommunicable diseases

South Africa's innovative obesity prevention earns UN award

29 Sep 2025

Image credit: Kyla McLellan on

Pharmaceuticals

Revolutionising weight loss: GLP-1s help South Africans cut sugar

22 Sep 2025

Image supplied.

Noncommunicable diseases

Experts call for mandatory warning labels to combat South Africa's childhood obesity

8 Sep 2025

Source: Reuters.

Economy

Inside SA’s multi-million rand plan to fill US funding void

Jesse Copelyn 15 Aug 2025

Image credit: Cora Pursley on Dupe Photos

Nutrition

Veganism could tackle Africa's food, health challenges

14 Aug 2025

Image credit: Sweet Life on Unsplash

Noncommunicable diseases

Push for CGM device standards to protect diabetics

12 Aug 2025

African journalists awarded grants to tackle critical health issues

Media

African journalists awarded grants to tackle critical health issues

8 Jul 2025

Cansa brings health experts and services to the workplace

Oncology

Cansa brings health experts and services to the workplace

Issued by CANSA 1 Jul 2025

Malls unite to showcase the Your Cancer Counts campaign

Exhibitions & Events

Malls unite to showcase the Your Cancer Counts campaign

Issued by Taryn Louch Creative 28 May 2025

Healthcare

Africa’s healthcare funding crisis: 3 strategies to manage deadly diseases

Francisca Mutap 24 Apr 2025

Healthcare

Living with multiple chronic conditions cuts lives short – but Africans are overlooked in research

Isaac Kisiangani, Michele Ramsay, and Michelle Kamp 8 Apr 2025

Healthcare

Sugary drinks are a killer: a 20% tax would save lives and rands in South Africa

Susan Goldstein 4 Apr 2025

Source: South Africa Today. Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.

Healthcare

G20 Health Working Group kicks off in South Africa with a focus on global health equity

26 Mar 2025

Healthcare

Oral health is more than smiles: South Africa’s public health emergency

27 Mar 2025

The future of healthcare: Hospital at Home

Hospital Groups

The future of healthcare: Hospital at Home

Issued by COHSASA 24 Mar 2025

Transforming SA’s food landscape begins with a balanced breakfast, complete with whole grains

Nutrition

Transforming SA’s food landscape begins with a balanced breakfast, complete with whole grains

Mandy Murphy, Issued by Clockwork 10 Mar 2025

Source: Pexels.

Healthcare

Africa relies too heavily on foreign aid for health – 4 ways to fix this

Francisca Mutapi 25 Feb 2025

Medical Aid

Vitality Health’s new plan in Tanzania: a game-changer for workplace wellness

Katja Hamilton 26 Feb 2025

Source: ChatGPT.

NHI

#Sona2025: The NHI takes shape: What’s at stake for medical aids?

Katja Hamilton 7 Feb 2025

#MiningIndaba: Minerals Council says Trump funding freeze won’t affect mine HIV treatment

Health & Safety

#MiningIndaba: Minerals Council says Trump funding freeze won’t affect mine HIV treatment

Lindsey Schutters 5 Feb 2025

2024 was record low for mining fatalities

Mining

2024 was record low for mining fatalities

Lindsey Schutters 24 Jan 2025