Update: Possible measles outbreak in Ekurhuleni (infographic)

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality spokesperson Themba Gadebe said: “On receiving notification of the measles cases, the Gauteng department of health embarked on a strategy to curb the outbreak of measles through an immunisation campaign in the [areas] where the cases were identified, namely Tembisa and Northmead,” Kempton Express reported.

Gadebe added that the campaign aimed at immunising all children in Tembisa and Northmead from 6 months to 15 years, irrespective of their immunisation status – even if they had received the measles vaccination before.

“The Outbreak Response Measles and Vitamin ‘A’ campaigns were started on December 8, when the measles cases were found at five clinics, namely: four clinics in Tembisa, including Winnie Mandela Clinic (where three cases were confirmed), Erin Clinic (one case), Tembisa Health Care Centre (one case), and the Tembisa Main Clinic (one case) as well as Northmead Clinic, where one case was confirmed,” said Gadebe.

In addition to the immunisation campaign, the metro has increased its surveillance on and reporting of any suspected measles cases through the Outbreak Response Measles Team, where any suspected cases should be immediately reported to allow a speedy follow-up, said Gadebe.

Gadebe further said adults can also get measles if they had been exposed to it and had not been immunised against the disease when they were nine to 18 months of age.

Last week, Gauteng and four other provinces were reportedly hit by laboratory-confirmed measles.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has reported that Northern Cape had the highest increase, with five laboratory-confirmed measles cases detected within a four-week period in the Siyanda District Municipality.

Read more:

Five provinces, including Gauteng hit by measles outbreak

Measles hits Gauteng and four other provinces (graphic)