City officials on high alert for possible measles outbreak

14 March 2017

 

Communicable illnesses outbreak response teams in the City of Johannesburg are on high alert and on stand-by for any cases of measles following a health alert issued by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

 

The NICD, a division of the National Health Laboratories (NHL), issued the health alert in late January following a measles outbreak in Stellenbosch in the Western Cape.

In Gauteng, a measles surveillance and a follow-up of suspected measles cases in primary healthcare facilities, hospitals and ports of entry are ongoing.

The City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development, Cllr Mpho Phalatse, says as of this week the City has noted one case of confirmed measles in the Lenasia area in Region G.
Three suspected contacts of the confirmed case have subsequently presented signs and symptoms of this highly contagious disease.

She has urged parents and caregivers to ensure that they are up to date with their children's vaccinations as per the immunisation schedule. She says if unsure, they should visit their nearest primary healthcare facilities immediately.

“Parents and community members can help by ensuring that all children are immunised against measles at the correct ages. Any child who is suspected to be suffering from measles should be taken to the nearest health facility for examination and investigation,” says Cllr Phalatse.

She adds that the City will initiate immunisation awareness and information drives during the Global/African Vaccination Week, to be held from 24-30 April 2017.

Measles is an airborne respiratory infection caused by the rubella virus. Although it is usually seen in children it can also affect adolescents and adults. With symptoms such as a total body rash, fever, loss of appetite, coughing, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (runny nose), measles has an incubation period of between 10 and 14 days, often longer in adults than in children.

Those at the highest risk of contracting measles, which can be fatal, are unvaccinated young children and pregnant women and any non-immune person who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity.

The measles vaccine, which is available at all the City’s 81 clinics and health facilities, is administered when a child is six months old, with a booster administered at 12 months old.

According to the World Health Organisation’s situational report released on 2 March 2017, measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children, even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available.

“During 2000-2015, measles vaccination prevented 20.3 million deaths worldwide,” says Cllr Phalatse.

For more information on measles and measles vaccinations, visit your nearest clinic or healthcare facility.