Five measles cases confirmed in Tshwane
Clinicians across the country are urged to be on the lookout for measles cases.
Five measles cases have been confirmed in the city of Tshwane since the declaration of an outbreak in Gauteng.
The cases are among 13 laboratory-confirmed cases from epidemiological week 40 to week 51, 2022 according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
The NICD has confirmed that 11 out of 13 cases have unknown vaccination status while others were vaccinated in a known area.
Measles is an infectious viral disease causing fever and a red rash, typically occurring in childhood.
Complications include diarrhoea, dehydration, brain infection (encephalitis), blindness, and death.
Other signs include coughing, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (running nose).
“Patients with measles present with fever and with 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,” said the NICD in a statement.
Clinicians across the country are urged to be on the lookout for measles cases.
“It is understood that the health departments in the respective provinces have commenced with or are planning immunisation campaigns,” read the statement.
The virus is believed to have serious complications for those who catch measles as young infants (under two years of age) and in children who are malnourished.
For more information about measles, case definition, notification, investigation, and guidelines for measles management, including vaccination, please visit https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/measles/.
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