By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

Health officials in South Africa are reporting a measles outbreak in Rustenburg sub-district, Bojanala Platinum district in North West province.

Image/Alvaro1984 18

Over that past month, three laboratory-confirmed measles cases were detected, which constitutes an outbreak.

Community engagement activities are being organised ahead of a planned vaccination campaign in Rustenburg sub-district and other sub-districts in Bojanala Platinum District. Vaccination is an important precautionary measure to prevent spread to neighboring communities.

Vaccination is the most important way of preventing measles, and the Department of Health provides measles vaccine free of charge at local clinics. After two doses of vaccine 95% of persons will be protected from measles. The measles vaccine is safe and effective.

The MeasBio® (Biovac) vaccine is administered at 6 months of age with a booster at 12 months of age according to the South African Expanded Programme on Immunization. Public and private providers in South Africa use the MeasBio® (Biovac) vaccine. In the private health sector, there are two vaccines (Priorix® and Omzyta®) that each offer protection against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

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