The North West Department of Health and Social Development has placed its facilities on high alert following the confirmation of six laboratory confirmed cases of measles. The affected areas are Rustenburg, Madibeng, Potchefstroom and Kgetleng.
To contain the pandemic, the department’s Communicable Disease directorate has already embarked on measles immunisation educational drive targeting all public and private primary and secondary schools, crèches, churches, and all major entry in the province with more emphasise put on tracing of contacts.
Parents and caregivers of children are urged to ensure that children have received all their vaccines for the age of the child, by checking their road to health immunisation cards. If unsure, have these checked at the local clinic. Measles immunisations are available free of charge from all public.
General information:
Measles is a highly infectious viral disease. Measles commonly presents with high fever, a general feeling of illness, coughing, a runny nose and teary eyes two to three days before a typical rash appears. Although there is no rash 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 percent 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. The rash peaks in two to three days and becomes most concentrated on the trunk and upper extremities. It lasts from three to seven days. Malnourished or vitamin deficient children may develop severe skin exfoliation.
Complications may include middle ear infection, blindness, diarrhoea, dehydration, respiratory infections, pneumonia, neurological complications such as convulsions, and even death. The highest death rates occur in infants six to 11 months of age. 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.
In certain high risk populations case fatality rates as high as 20 percent or 30 percent have been reported in infants younger than one year old. Measles can also cause severe illness in children, and also in adults. One positive case of measles may quickly spread to up to 17 unprotected or un-immunised cases in a short period of time. Because measles so easily spreads among groups of people, especially in schools and crèches, it is absolutely important to protect groups of children or people by immunisation or vaccination with a safe measles vaccine.
Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Tel: 018 387 5628
Cell: 082 929 9958
Issued by: Department of Health and Social Development, North West Provincial Government
7 October 2009
