By Karabo Rammutla
After a four-year-old child tested positive for measles last week, the City of Tshwane has urged parents to ensure children are up to date with their routine vaccinations.
A total of 14 laboratory-confirmed cases have been recorded in the city since last May, and the city has launched a vaccination campaign to minimise the chances of an outbreak.
The city’s health MMC, Rina Marx, said she had noted with concern the recent declaration of a measles outbreak in South Africa by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
Marx said the last recorded case in Tshwane was noted on 30 December and it involved a four-year-old boy from Hammanskraal.
“In December 2022 we implemented a measles vaccination campaign as a preventative measure, targeting children from six months to 15 years. We also launched an awareness campaign to mobilise and keep communities informed through local radio stations and social media,” Marx told Scrolla.Africa.
Marx added they would like to advise parents and caregivers to bring children to any of their clinics for vaccinations.
“At this stage there is no indication of a cluster outbreak of measles in Tshwane but the situation is being closely monitored and an outbreak team is standing ready to manage the situation and mitigate the spread as far as possible,” she said.
Limpopo, Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and the Free State have all recorded cases so far.
The NICD said the age of cases across the country ranges from two months to 42 years, with 44% of cases in the 5-9 years age group and 28% in the 1-4 years age group.
Measles is an infectious disease that is caused by the measles virus. It is usually passed from one person to another through direct and close contact or through sneezing and coughing.
It affects children under the age of one and can also occur in older children as well as adults who have not been vaccinated against measles or who had not previously had the disease. The first measles vaccination is administered at six months and the second at 12 months.
Symptoms include a cough, high fever, a runny nose, red watery eyes and a rash.
Pictured above: The City of Tshwane has urged parents and caregivers to get children vaccinated against measles
Image source: @Detroitalerts
