By Noxolo Sibiya.
The Department of Health has warned the public of rising cases of rubella, commonly known as measles, around the country.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, 10 137 positive cases of rubella were identified in the country between January and November 2024, higher than the number of cases recorded last year.
Rubella is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable disease.
Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said most cases were recorded in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, while more than 90% of the cases were in children under 15, accounting for more than 8 300 cases.
Mohale added only one case of a patient over 50 years old was recorded.
“Although rubella in children is a mild, self-limiting illness and complications are rare, the risk of transmission remains high among children, especially because many children entered the year 2024 without prior exposure to rubella, or without being vaccinated against rubella,” he said.
“If children are not vaccinated against rubella, and never come into contact with the rubella virus through natural infection, they will remain susceptible to rubella.”
The disease spreads from person to person through droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person.
Children and pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe health complications due to rubella.
Mohale urged parents and caregivers to closely monitor their children’s health and look out for common symptoms, which included a rash, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, runny nose, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, and nausea.
He said symptoms developed two to three weeks after exposure.
Rubella infection poses a risk of congenital rubella syndrome among pregnant mothers if they are infected in the first trimester of the pregnancy. It can lead to birth defects in their unborn child.
“The public healthcare facilities will remain accessible throughout the festive season.”
While Mohale added there was no need for members of the public to panic, he called on people to present themselves or their loved ones with suspected rubella symptoms to any healthcare facility.
“This will help with early detection, effective treatment, and prevent further transmission,” he said.
Cases per province:
Gauteng – 2 603, KwaZulu-Natal – 1 996, Western Cape – 1 338, Eastern Cape – 1 113, North West – 899, Northern Cape – 862, Mpumalanga – 665, Free State – 471 and Limpopo – 190.