South Africa measles outbreak reported in four provinces

December 9, 2022

Africa, Headlines

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In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in South Africa, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) reports the number of measles cases in the country is rising. Four out of nine provinces have recorded outbreaks to date.

137 cases of laboratory-confirmed measles cases from the declaration of the outbreak in Limpopo province from the 11^th of October up until the 6^th of December 2022.

Limpopo and Mpumalanga have reported 89 and 40 cases, respectively. An outbreak was declared in North West province on the 2^nd of December 2022 after three cases were reported. On the 6^th of December, three cases were reported by Gauteng, and an outbreak in this province has been declared. The WHO defines a measles outbreak as 3 cases reported in a single district in one month.

The age of cases across the country ranges from 2 months to 42 years. The dominant age category of laboratory-confirmed cases is the 5-9 year age group. Of the 137 cases, 98 had an unknown vaccination status, 17 were vaccinated and 22 were unvaccinated.

In total, 89 cases of laboratory-confirmed measles have been reported from Limpopo province since 11^th of October till the 6^th of December 2022, with the majority of cases were reported in Greater Sekhukhune and Mopani districts.

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40 cases of laboratory-confirmed measles have been reported from the declaration of the outbreak in Mpumalanga province from the 11^th of November up until the 6^th of December 2022.

An outbreak was declared in North West province on the 2^nd of December 2022 after three laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in Ngaka Modiri Molema district. There has since been an additional confirmed case reported in the same district. A total of four cases have now been reported as part of this outbreak.

An outbreak was declared in Gauteng province on the 6^th of December 2022 after three laboratory-confirmed cases were reported at a single health facility in Ekurhuleni district.