The City of Tshwane has dismissed as fake news “misleading messages” claiming the municipality's water is contaminated and causes typhoid fever.
This comes as messages circulate on social media warning residents to not drink tap water from the Tshwane and Joburg municipalities as it is “currently contaminated”.
“Please watch the news; typhoid fever is confirmed now in Joburg and Pretoria [in] all our areas and schools and crèches. Please don't drink water from the taps, boil it and put it in the fridge,” it says.
It then goes on to list the symptoms of typhoid fever and the causes before adding: “Our water is contaminated, please take extra care.”
Tshwane, in a statement, said it had noted the “false message”.
“The public is cautioned not to fall for this fake news, as there is no such notice issued by the city. We urge the public to always be vigilant of bogus messages,” the city said.
Two years ago the municipality moved to allay residents' fears after sporadic cases of typhoid fever were reported in the area.
The city at the time revealed that seven laboratory-confirmed cases had been reported over a three-month period.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases at the time dismissed claims about a link between typhoid cases and municipal water.
TimesLIVE
Post claiming water contaminated and causing typhoid fever fake, Tshwane says
Messages have been doing the rounds on social media warning residents that municipal water causes typhoid fever.
Image: iStock
The City of Tshwane has dismissed as fake news “misleading messages” claiming the municipality's water is contaminated and causes typhoid fever.
This comes as messages circulate on social media warning residents to not drink tap water from the Tshwane and Joburg municipalities as it is “currently contaminated”.
“Please watch the news; typhoid fever is confirmed now in Joburg and Pretoria [in] all our areas and schools and crèches. Please don't drink water from the taps, boil it and put it in the fridge,” it says.
It then goes on to list the symptoms of typhoid fever and the causes before adding: “Our water is contaminated, please take extra care.”
Tshwane, in a statement, said it had noted the “false message”.
“The public is cautioned not to fall for this fake news, as there is no such notice issued by the city. We urge the public to always be vigilant of bogus messages,” the city said.
Two years ago the municipality moved to allay residents' fears after sporadic cases of typhoid fever were reported in the area.
The city at the time revealed that seven laboratory-confirmed cases had been reported over a three-month period.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases at the time dismissed claims about a link between typhoid cases and municipal water.
TimesLIVE
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