The Western Cape is seeing an increase in measles and the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is urging parents to protect their little ones.
“Although there is not currently an outbreak in the Breede Valley, Drakenstein, Langeberg, Stellenbosch or Witzenberg areas we do need to act quickly to protect our children and families,” it stated this week. “The increase in measles cases is not unique to the province as South Africa is currently facing a decline in childhood-vaccination uptake, which poses a serious risk for public health and threatens the country’s efforts to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases.”
According to the department the decline contributed to multiple outbreaks of measles, rubella and diphtheria across the province, signalling serious gaps in population immunity.
Ensuring immunisation coverage across the province remains a top priority of the provincial Health Department. Since October 2024 it has ramped-up its immunisation efforts to protect young children from serious, life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases. An early warning and response system has been implemented for these outbreaks, which include strengthening coordination of the response, intensifying disease surveillance, clinical management of cases and community engagement. “Targeted vaccination outreaches will be prioritised in the areas where we see a rapid increase in measles cases.”
Protect your child from measles
Measles is a highly contagious disease that infects the respiratory tract. Symptoms include high fever, rash, runny nose, conjunctivitis and coughing. Health-care practitioners can diagnose measles on signs and symptoms and a blood sample collected for laboratory testing. “We ask that parents look out for measles symptoms and keep their children home when they have one or more of these symptoms so we can curb the spread of this highly contagious disease. Should your child run a fever, feel sleepy or struggle to eat take them to the nearest clinic immediately.
“Potential complications of measles include pneumonia, diarrhoea, brain infection and blindness. Complications are more serious in those who catch measles as young infants (under 2 years of age) and in children who are malnourished. Free childhood vaccines are available at all public health facilities and catch-up doses can be given if a child has missed a vaccination.”
Vaccines are also available through the private-sector facilities and private-public partnerships.
“We urge parents not to assume their children are immune. Help us protect our children by taking them for their routine immunisations and signing consent forms when our school-vaccination teams visit their school.”
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