THE Mpumalanga Department of Health is on high alert as measles breakout hits the province.
Three laboratories have confirmed measles cases were detected in the Ehlanzeni district.
The district borders two districts of Limpopo, which also experienced outbreaks of measles cases last month.
The confirmed measles cases were found between 1 November and 10 November through routine measles surveillance.
According to the department’s spokesman, Dumisani Malamule, the first laboratory confirmed case is of an 18-month-old male child diagnosed at Lydenburg Hospital in the Thaba Chweu sub-district.
The second laboratory confirmed case is of a three-year- old boy diagnosed at Orinocco Clinic in the Bushbuckridge sub-district. Meanwhile, the third case is of a six-year-old child diagnosed at Dwarsloop Community Health Centre, also in the Bushbuckridge sub-district.
“Twenty-three contacts of the first two index cases were identified. Thirteen of the 23 contacts were symptomatic, and tests came back negative. The department is on high alert and has put strategies in place to contain and prevent the further spread of the outbreak,” said Malamule.
He said the outbreak response teams have been activated. Clinicians were trained on vaccine-preventable diseases. Measles surveillance has been strengthened. Community awareness has been created, and measles vaccination catch-up dose is being given in all healthcare facilities for the children who missed the measles vaccination to increase immunity in the communities.
The department has urged parents and caregivers to take their children to the nearest health facilities for routine immunization and ensure that measles vaccinations are up to date.
You must be SIGNED IN to read comments
- Symptoms of measles
Measles presents with fever, malaise, cough, conjunctivitis, and a runny nose. A maculopapular non-itchy, non-vesicular rash appears on the face, neck, trunk, and limbs, usually on day four of the illness. Other measles complications are pneumonia, scarring of the cornea (kerato-conjunctivitis) and rarely encephalitis. Measles is highly infectious and spreads rapidly from person to person. People of any age, who are not vaccinated, can catch measles.
