Children’s measles vaccination encouraged as Tshwane cases monitored

Parents were urged to ensure that their children’s measles vaccinations are up to date after some infections were reported in Tshwane recently.

Tshwane metro health MMC Rina Marx said the municipality would monitor the infections in the region after three positive cases were confirmed in the last two weeks of May.

“Parents are encouraged to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated. The measles vaccine is safe, effective and the best protection against the disease,” Marx said.

“There is no specific treatment for measles. In this regard, the saying that ‘prevention is better than cure’ is extremely relevant.”

The Department of Health confirmed earlier this week that the region was experiencing a measles outbreak following the infection of three people who reside in south-western Tshwane, within a month.

A Pretoria mother, Nicoline Trump said a doctor diagnosed her 15-month-old daughter with measles earlier this week.

“She started developing red spots on her stomach and it spread to her back, legs and arms just within two days. I found this weird because I did not use any new products on her,” Trump said.

“On Monday, I went to Dischem to get medical assistance and they told me that they think she has measles. Thereafter, I went to the doctor and he gave us a prescription for antibiotics and three days later, I could see that the red spots were fading.”

Trump said her daughter’s symptoms were a mild fever.

“The spots worried me because I did not know what could have caused them. She does not go to a crèche. None of my other children had the infection and I don’t know how she might have been infected.”

Trump said while her daughter was on medication, “she is doing well, sometimes she gets tired and sleeps but other than that she is out and about”.

“It does not seem that the measles is bothering her that much. I was not too concerned because she had both her measles vaccination at six and 12 months. It is not as bad as it would have been if she was not vaccinated.”

According to the NICD, those infected with measles have symptoms such as a fever and a rash.
“The rash looks like small red flat spots over the body. The rash does not form blisters, nor is it itchy or painful. Other signs include a cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (running nose),” the NICD said.

“Complications include diarrhoea, dehydration, brain infection (encephalitis), blindness and death. Complications are more serious in those who catch measles as young infants under two years of age and in children who are malnourished.”

The health department says measles are a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that mainly spreads through infectious airborne respiratory droplets from infected persons when coughing or sneezing.

The measles vaccination is free at government clinics for children.

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