By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced on Friday that measles cases continue to soar across the country.
NICD said lab-confirmed cases of measles had increased to 227, with Limpopo recording 110 cases and Mpumalanga 64 during the outbreak. North West has 27 cases, Gauteng has 10 and Free State has five.
“The number of measles cases in the country continues to rise. Prevention and control of measles outbreaks can only be achieved through vaccination. Clinicians across the country are urged to be on the lookout for measles cases,” the NICD said.
Last week, the Department of Health confirmed 184 cases. It said interprovincial travelling during the festive season raised a concern of further spread and urged parents to immunise their children.
“We are very concerned about the sudden rise of laboratory-confirmed cases within a week. We urge parents in the outbreak provinces, district and beyond to ensure their kids have a safer and healthy festive season by keeping them updated with the immunisation schedule, especially as there will be trans-provincial travelling to and from hotspot areas,” it said.
The department previously launched an immunisation campaign in Limpopo and said a national campaign would be launched in February.
According to the NICD, measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and 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, and is not itchy and painful.
“Other signs include cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (running nose). Complications of measles can 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 NICD said.