This after the Department of Health in the province confirmed that the Centre for Vaccine and Immunology (CVI) and National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) notified the department of three cases of measles that were identified at the laboratory with one equivocal case. 

The Provincial Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, explained that the specimens were collected at Lonely Park Clinic in Mahikeng and he later confirmed the outbreak of the disease in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District on 5 December 2022.

According to Lekgethwane, measles is a highly infectious viral disease with flu symptoms.

“The department has started the process of contact tracing through our outbreak response team. We are urging the public to be cautious of the side effects which include, among others the rush, the fever, and other issues that are related to flu symptoms, but with possible diarrhoea as part of the symptoms. Those are the kinds of symptoms people need to be aware of and to present themselves at the facilities,” added Lekgethwane.

He further adds that even though there is no rush at the onset of the fever and flu-like symptoms, the patient is highly contagious during this time before the rash appears.  

“A non-productive cough is usually present throughout the feverish period, persisting for one to two weeks in uncomplicated cases, often being the last symptom to disappear. Swelling of the glands commonly occurs in young children. Older children usually complain of sensitivity to light and joint pains. Koplik's spots (small spots with white or bluish-white centres resembling "grains of salt sprinkled on a red background") may be seen on the insides of the cheeks in over 80% of cases before the onset of the rash. A blotchy red rash usually appears behind the ears and on the face within two to four days after the pre-rash feverish period,” he added.

According to Lekgethwane, complications may include middle-ear infection, blindness, diarrhoea, dehydration, respiratory infections, pneumonia, neurological complications such as convulsions, and even death. He said the highest death rates occur in infants 6 to 11 months of age and these rates may underestimate the true lethality of measles because of incomplete reporting of the outcomes of measles illness, such as delayed deaths related to chronic diarrhoea.

“The province will continue to monitor the development through the online dashboard. The provincial measles vaccination coverage is 79.4% (measles under 1 dose) and 82.3% (measles 2nd dose) respectively,” he concluded.

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