South Africa: Measles cases

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Source: http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=21071

Measles alert
Rahima Essop |

The Health Department has issued a measles alert following an outbreak of the viral disease in Gauteng.

It says there have been 131 cases in the country in the last five months. The majority of the cases have been reported in Pretoria.

The department has urged parents to vaccinate their children because measles can lead to serious complications.

The department?s Fidel Hadebe says if the disease is not treated it could cause blindness, middle-ear infection and diarrhoea.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=466245

Measles warning by health officials

2009/09/02


Johannesburg ? The outbreak of measles in Gauteng might spread to other provinces, the national Health Department warned yesterday.

?Measles is a highly infectious notifiable viral disease,? the department said in a statement.

The number of laboratory-tested positive measles cases for the year to August 30 had increased to 131, 109 of which were from Gauteng.

Sporadic cases had also been confirmed in the Eastern Cape (three), Mpumalanga (eight), North West (one), Northern Cape (one) and Western Cape (five), while a number of cases were suspected in Limpopo.

The department said the ages of 124 confirmed cases ranged from four months to 38, with a median age of 13.One positive case of measles could spread to up to at least 17 non-immunised people in a very short period of time, it added. ? Sapa

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200909020719.html

South Africa: High Alert as Measles Spreads
Lungi Langa

1 September 2009


The health department has urged the public and medical practitioners to be aware of measles symptoms and for parents to get their children vaccinated after a reported outbreak in Gauteng.

Fidel Hadebe spokesperson for the health department said there was a possibility that the disease could spread to other provinces as over 131 cases had been reported by August 30. About 109 cases were from Gauteng with 97 of these from the Tshwane (Pretoria) health district.

Random cases have been reported in other parts of the country including Mpumalanga with eight cases. The Western Cape recorded five while three were reported in the Eastern Cape. The North West Province and Northern Cape both recorded one case each. Some suspected cases were yet to be confirmed in Limpopo.

Measles is an infectious disease that is spread through contact with the nose and throat discharge of an infected person and is mostly spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs.

An infected person can infect others for several days before and after developing symptoms. It is known to spread faster in areas where infants and children gather such as schools, day care centres and health care facilities.

According to the World Health Organisation measles remains a leading cause of death among young children although a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available to prevent the disease. In 2007 about 197 000 measles deaths were recorded globally - nearly 540 deaths every day or 22 deaths hourly.

Hadebe called upon the public to work hand in hand with the health department in eradicating the virus. He said it was unfortunate that some parents still chose not to vaccinate their children even though the health department had a structured system to facilitate effective vaccination.

"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. Two doses of measles vaccine should be administered - at 9 and 18 months of age. Measles immunisations are available free of charge from all public and municipal health clinics", he said.

Medical practitioners were urged to put surveillance measures in place to prevent further outbreaks by promptly reporting suspected cases of measles or German measles to their nearest local authority health department.

In an effort to contain the outbreak the Tshwane district launched a mass measles immunisation campaign from August 24 to September 5 targeting all schools. Parents should bring their children even if they had received their measles vaccines.

"School children will be immunised at school, and therefore parents are asked to complete and return consent forms obtained from the schools. Parents whose children are not in school should please take their children to the local clinic or health facility for immunisation," said Hadebe.

Symptoms of measles:

The first sign of infection is a high fever which begins approximately 10-12 days after exposure and lasts several days. During this period, the patient may develop a runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside his or her cheeks.

After several days, a slightly raised rash develops, usually on the face and upper neck.

Over a period of about three days, the rash spreads to the body and then to the hands and feet. It lasts for five or six days and then fades. The incubation period from exposure to the onset of the rash averages 14 days, with a range of seven to 18 days.

Complications of measles

Unimmunized children under five years of age, and especially infants, are at highest risk for measles and its complications, including death. Infected infants may suffer from severe diarrhoea, possibly causing dehydration. Children may also develop inflammation of the middle ear and severe respiratory tract infections.

For more information visit: the National Institute for Communicable Disease website: www.nicd.ac.za or the Department of Health website: www.health.gov.za or contact your nearest clinic.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.news24.com/Content/South...4/29-09-2009-11-01/Measles_outbreak_in_Joburg

Measles outbreak in Joburg
2009-09-29 11:01

Johannesburg - There is an outbreak of measles in Johannesburg, with 48 cases reported this month, the City of Johannesburg said on Tuesday.

"Since the beginning of September, 48 measles cases have been reported in Johannesburg. All the regions in the city are affected by the outbreak," said spokesperson Nkosinathi Nkabinde.

From January to August there were 11 cases of confirmed measles reported.

"Some of the persons affected had one or two doses of measles vaccine, meaning all persons are at risk of contracting measles." Anyone with a fever, rash, running nose, red infected eyes or cough should be investigated for measles.

Possible death

"Measles is a serious disease that can cause blindness, deafness, brain damage, pneumonia and even death," said Nkabinde.

"Measles can affect anyone, including adults. All cases of suspected measles must be reported to the health department as failure to control the spread of measles will result in unnecessary suffering and even death."

The health department will immunise all identified cases at home, school and at the workplace.

The vaccine must be administered as soon as possible after exposure to be effective, Nkabinde said.

"Although the first measles vaccination given at nine months protects infants, immunity acquired is not optimal due to the presence of maternal antibodies.

Children

"The second dose administered at 18 months of age, provides another chance to protect the children against measles, especially for those children who did not respond to the first dose of the vaccine.

"About one of every 10 children does not respond to the first dose of vaccine."

Nkabinde said the second dose also served as a booster to increase antibody levels in those with low antibody levels. After the second dose, 99% of children are protected against measles.

"Additional doses, such as doses given during national campaigns, improve immunity against the disease.

"Parents who have younger children who are not attending school should please ensure that these children are fully immunised. If you are not certain that your child is fully immunised, please visit your local clinic."

Members of the public, especially medical personnel, traditional healers and training institutions, were urged to report all cases of suspected measles.

- SAPA

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.buanews.gov.za/news/09/09100712151001


Compiled by the Government Communication and Information System
Date: 07 Oct 2009
Title: NW Health on high alert after 7 measles cases
--------------------

By Gabi Khumalo

Rustenburg - Hospitals in the North West have been placed on high alert after the National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD) confirmed seven cases of measles in the province.

The North West Department of Health and Social Development took the decision to place its facilities on high alert after seven cases were confirmed in Rustenburg, Madibeng, Potchefstroom and Kgetleng.

The patients are aged between six months to 37 years.

The department's Communicable Disease Directorate is tracing the patient's contacts in a bid to contain the outbreak.

It has already embarked on a measles immunisation educational drive, targeted at all public, private, primary and secondary schools, crSches, churches and all major entry points in the province.

Departmental spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, urged parents and caregivers to ensure children have received all their necessary vaccines by checking their Road to Health or immunisation cards.

"If unsure, have these checked at the local clinic," Lekgethwane said, adding that measles immunisations were available free of charge from all public facilities.

Nationally, 468 measles cases have been confirmed by the NICD.

Gauteng is the worst affected province with 422 cases, followed by 13 cases in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape has eight confirmed cases, while the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State have four confirmed cases. There is one confirmed case in the Northern Cape.

Measles is one of the most dangerous diseases of childhood and accounts for nearly 777 000 deaths worldwide, with 452 000 cases coming from Africa.

It is a highly infectious disease that causes high fever, fine red rash, cold or flu-like symptoms including cough, runny nose and watery red eyes.

The disease can have complications, including pneumonia, infection of the middle ear which can cause deafness, ulceration of the eyes which can cause blindness, malnutrition and brain damage and even death.

One positive case of measles may quickly spread to up to 17 unprotected or unimmunised cases in a short period of time. - BuaNews

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article151647.ece

Four lose their lives to measles

Oct 15, 2009 12:58 AM | By ZANDILE MBABELA
Measles has claimed four lives in the past week and the easily preventable viral disease has infected 1000 people.

The national health department could not identify those killed.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases said the number of confirmed cases nationally this year was alarming. Last year, only 40 people were infected.

The institute's Professor Barry Schoub said infections have increased because many people are not immunised against the potentially fatal disease.

"We have an excellent vaccine and people need to access it and protect themselves," he said.

Gauteng has the highest number of infections, 857. This is an increase of 229 since last week. More than 90% of the cases occurred in Tshwane.

Mandla Sidu, spokesman for the Gauteng provincial health department, said: "Gauteng is a densely populated province so it is easy for any pandemic to spread."

Sidu said the department has embarked on a widespread vaccination campaign at schools, creches and clinics.

"We've been targeting areas where most cases are reported and are trying to intensify immunisation," he said.

Johannesburg metro's Nkosinathi Nkabinde said the vaccination campaign had reached many schools across the city.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=24273

Gauteng measles outbreak ?serious?
Imraan Karolia | 1 Hour Ago

A medical expert has warned the recent measles outbreak in Gauteng is serious and has urged people to seek medical attention immediately if they start displaying symptoms.


Over 900 cases have been confirmed in the province, sparking a mass vaccination campaign in schools.


At least four people have already died of the disease.

Symptoms of the airborne illness include an itchy rash, puffy eyes, a prolonged fever and a runny nose.


?Koplik?s spots can be seen inside the mouth?The characteristic rash of measles has little swellings that are red. The rash starts on the head and then it spreads to cover most of the body, often causing itching,? General practitioner Gavin Zipp said.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1080125

Gauteng worst hit by spreading measles
20 October 2009
Zinhle Mapumulo


THE number of people who have contracted measles continues to increase. More than 1100 cases have been reported across the country, with 80percent being recorded in Gauteng.

A measles campaign was launched on October 12 and targets children from the age of six months. During the campaign health workers will visit clinics, schools and cr?ches throughout the province, where immunisation will continue to take place.

Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu and former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang yesterday visited schools in Soweto as part of a provincial measles immunisation campaign.

Mahlangu and Tshabalala- Msimang joined health workers who were immunising children at the Boepakitso Primary School in Diepkloof.

Education department spokesperson Mandla Sidu said: ?As another measure to ensure that the disease is contained, the department?s outbreak response team has alerted all clinicians, both in the private and public sector, to be on the lookout for any signs and symptoms from patients who present themselves at health facilities.

?Infection control officers at all hospitals have also been requested to be on high alert while ongoing public education will be provided through clinics. Health promoters will also be dispatched throughout the province.

?Measles is a highly contagious but less lethal viral disease that spreads through droplets of saliva and secretions from the nose. The incubation period is usually 10 to 14 days. Worldwide outbreaks occur during spring and winter,? Sidu said.

Symptoms include a running nose, coughs, red eyes, fever and rashes. Complications include encephalitis (brain infection), pneumonia (lung infection), ear infections and deafness.

Members of the public who experience these signs and symptoms are urged to immediately visit their nearest clinic or doctor for tests and treatment.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=24649

Measles concerns at Johannesburg Prison
Imraan Karolia |

A Johannesburg prison inmate has told Eyewitness News a recent measles outbreak is spreading "like wild fire."

The number of cases in the province continues to rise with at least 100 cases confirmed so far.

There are already more than 1000 measles cases in the country, mostly teenagers in and around Pretoria and babies in the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni area.

A Johannesburg Prison inmate on Wednesday said it has now hit the prison and nothing is being done to minimise the spread.

?It is starting to reach epidemic proportions because there are 80 or 90 people in a cell. There are no control mechanisms in place for outbreaks like this,? he said

The Gauteng Health Department said the matter has not been confirmed.

The department?s Mandla Sidu said tests were underway.

?We are in the process of confirming with the laboratory pending the results we cannot confirm if there is an outbreak of measles in the Johannesburg Prison,? said Sidu.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.news24.com/Content/South...11/23-10-2009-09-48/Measles_claims_mom_of_two

Measles claims mom of two
2009-10-23 09:48

Antoinette Pienaar

Johannesburg ? A Potchefstroom mother of two teenage daughters was one of the latest victims of one of the biggest outbreaks of measles to have hit the country in years.

Rina van der Merwe, 35, a receptionist at a doctor's consulting rooms, died after the measles virus presumably spread to her lungs and brain, said her mother, Driekie Plotz, on Thursday.

Van der Merwe apparently started getting diarrhoea on September 23 and started vomiting.

"She became feverish and told me she is going crazy from the headache. On September 29, a doctor had her admitted to the Potchefstroom state hospital after she got the rash the previous day. The doctor said she had a bad case of the measles and that it had already damaged her lungs."

The virus presumably also spread to her brain and she started talking incoherently.

"We were with her still on the Friday evening (October 2), but she spoke with difficulty. It was hardly whispering."

"Early the next morning they told us that she had died. It is a terrible blow for us."

Van der Merwe's two daughters, Charmonic, 16, and Christine, 13, were devastated. They would now stay with their father in Carletonville.

Third booster vaccination

Another mother, Dawn von Wielligh, from Pretoria, said her son, Bertie, 11, was sent to the Kloof hospital earlier this month for four days with meningitis symptoms, after which measles was diagnosed.

"All his vaccinations were up to date, but he still caught the virus."

Bertie was apparently gravely ill. He lay opposite the disabled Sumon? Blignaut, 2, from Rayton who died there on October 7 due to measles bronchopneumonia.

"It was a very emotional time and I do ask all parents to again have their children vaccinated," said Von Wielligh.

There were also others who got measles although their vaccinations were up to date.

Dr Lucille Blumberg of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said earlier it was not clear how this happened.

Two vaccinations were supposed to protect 99% of children and one vaccination 85%. It could be that earlier consignments of the vaccination were not cooled or stored properly.

That is why the department now requested parents to give permission for the third booster vaccination, which pupils were now getting as part of a government campaign.

Meanwhile, eight suspected cases of measles have been reported in Johannesburg prison.
Their laboratory results were still unknown by late on Thursday.

According to the Gauteng health authorities, 1 000 prisoners were vaccinated since Wednesday.

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20091026074910787C590276

Measles outbreak: Joburg prison quarantined

October 26 2009 at 07:52AM

A ten-day quarantine has been declared at a Johannesburg prison where 51 cases of measles had been confirmed, the correctional services department said on Monday.

"From October 26 to Wednesday, November 4, court appearances, new admissions of remand detainees and public visitations at the centre will be suspended in order to safeguard the public's health and prevent further infections," the ministry said in a statement.

"The department of correctional services, in consultation with the department of health, has declared a ten-day-quarantine at the Johannesburg Medium A Correctional Centre following a confirmation of 51 cases of measles."

The health department will lead a vaccination programme to inoculate more than 6000 awaiting trial prisoners and 400 correctional services officials.

During the quarantine period, about 3 000 scheduled appearances at 27 courts will be halted.

"Arrangements will be put in place to address the backlog of these appearances and to facilitate family and legal representative visits as soon as the quarantine period is over," said the department.

Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will visit the facility at 10am on Monday. - Sapa

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.health24.com/news/Whats_happening/1-3439,53119.asp

Journos warm of measles hoax
Created: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Print


A group of leading science journalists has urged their media colleagues not to report on South Africa's current measles outbreak by resurrecting ''completely false'' claims that the vaccine is dangerous.

South African radio, print and internet sites have been resurrecting the ''long-disproven'' claim that the measles vaccine can cause autism, a little-understood and complex neurobiological disorder which normally surfaces in young children, and for which there is no cure.

''South Africans have already died in part because the media was seduced by HIV/Aids dissidents and South Africans don't need the same thing to happen again with measles,'' said the South African Science Journalists Association (SASJA) in a press statement this week.

''We understand that sometimes the dissidents and conspiracy theorists are very entertaining. This can make the dissidents attractive to the media for the wrong reasons. The problem is that legitimate scientists may have less puffery but they offer solid evidence that can and does improve peoples' lives. We understand the worries and fears of parents with autistic children, who are trying to make sense of their diagnosis. But the fact is that when it comes to the measles vaccine, the doom-sayers are wrong. Vaccines save lives,'' said SASJA president Christina Scott.

Measles in media
SASJA executive member George Claassen, who lectures in science journalism at the University of Stellenbosch, began the ''measles in the media'' campaign after listening to a mother who was given airtime on Cape Talk and 702 radio this week to vent her claims that the measles vaccine had somehow triggered autism in her child.

''The researchers who originally made the claim that there was a link between autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination were found to be unethical on numerous counts. They are facing serious court cases,'' warned Claassen, who writes the regular column Kwakoskoop in the By supplement of Beeld, Die Burger and Volksblad.

''Not once did the talk show presenter point out that the person who began this ongoing rumour that vaccines cause autism has been completely discredited. If media people don't set boundaries, then this kind of rumour can spread and our children and grandchildren can risk serious illness and sometimes lifelong disabilities if they do not get vaccinated,'' Claassen said.

Media hype
''Most media fall prey to this hype at one point or another,'' said Scott, who presents Science Matters on SAfm on Thursday nights.

The Mail & Guardian newspaper, for example, published a report by Nechama Brodie in August last year which buried the worrying news that health agencies in the US and Europe had reported a rise in measles cases.

Instead, the opening paragraph claimed that ''fresh controversy is brewing over the issue of childhood vaccinations'' and focused on a non-scientist, an American actress who was famous for posing in Playboy magazine, as the source of information. (See http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-08-05-to-vaccinate-or)

''A homeopath is quoted in the Mail & Guardian article, but none of South Africa's excellent measles researchers were interviewed. That's a problem in itself,'' Scott said. Adele Baleta, a South African health journalist and correspondent for leading international medical journal The Lancet, noted that Andrew Wakefield, the lead author of the original Lancet ''research'' claiming a link between measles and autism, concealed his unusual source of funding: trial lawyers who wanted evidence of a link so they could sue for damages.

''Wakefield deliberately concealed scientific results that contradicted his claims, manipulated patient data and misreported results - he was a fraud,'' she said.

Research overview
An international health database collection, the Cochrane Library, has analysed the issue and concluded that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has safely prevented diseases that still carry a heavy burden of death and complications. The Cochrane Library warns that the Wakefield measles-autism hoax has brought a nearly-eradicated diseases back into our society.

Issued by SASJA

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=nw20091201120931447C196518

December 01 2009 at 12:21PM

Six more people at Johannesburg prison have been moved to an isolation section after contracting measles, the department of correctional services said on Tuesday.

"Last week as part of ongoing monitoring we picked up four cases and this increased to six," said spokesman Sonwabo Mbananga.

They were new prisoners who had entered the facility.

They were inoculated as were staffers who came into contact with them.

He rejected a statement by prisoners' rights activist Golden Miles Bhudu that there was a lockdown.

"That is an exaggeration," he said.

The sick prisoners would stay in the isolation wing for 10 days and might not be able to attend court proceedings during this period, to contain the spread of the illness.

Recently the health department inoculated about 3 000 people at the prison. - Sapa

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=nw20100109131607509C833752

Man dies of measles in Eastern Cape
January 09 2010 at 01:25PM

A man died of measles and 50, mostly children, are suspected to have contracted the disease in the Eastern Cape, the provincial health department said on Saturday.

Spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said a 25-year-old man from Tshezi village outside Mthatha died on January 3 after contracting the virus from a two-year-old who came to visit during Christmas holidays from Gauteng.

"He died after presenting symptoms of measles which include a rash, high blood pressure, fever and a headache," said Kupelo,

Khupelo said there was one other confirmed case reported in the province.

"The confirmed case is that of a female doctor who was treating children infected by the virus at the Zithulele hospital."

The doctor was being treated at a private hospital.

There were 50 suspected measles infections reported from villages of Mathojanini, Thwalikulu, Mpaku, Zidindi, Ngcwanguba, Kwaiman and Tshezi.

"It is mostly children with just a few adults," said Kupelo.

The department on Saturday dispatched an outbreak team of about 20 nurses, with some 9000 measles vaccines to affected areas.

"Further tests are being conducted ... blood samples (of the suspected cases) have been sent the National Institute of Communicable Diseases," said Kupelo.

"Anyone showing symptoms of the virus is encouraged to immediately seek medical help. Mothers are also urged to bring their children to health facilities to be immunised against measles," said Kupelo.

He said the department has responded "promptly and swiftly" to what appears to be an outbreak.

"Because it's a virus, we have to treat it as outbreak." - Sapa

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.weekendpost.co.za/article.aspx?id=522682

Vaccination drive on to stop measles outbreak

2010/01/25
Lies Kombrink HERALD REPORTER kombrinkl@avusa.co.za

ALMOST 250000 Eastern Cape children between nine months and 15 years have been immunised against measles in the past weeks to protect them against the deadly disease, which has been spreading since October.

Figures supplied by the provincial Department of Health reveal 192 suspected cases by January 22. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there had been 80 confirmed cases up to last Tuesday.

?We are immunising villages and areas not yet affected to build a fire wall in terms of epidemiological principles,? said department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo. ?Extensive social mobilisation and health education are also taking place.?

Kupelo said the increase in measles cases had been noted first in the Mqanduli magisterial district of King Sabata Dalindyebo. ?So far 42 villages in the OR Tambo district have been affected. The Nyandeni and KSD sub- districts are hardest hit.?

Measles can lead to serious complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain infection or even death. Symptoms are high fever, a general feeling of illness, coughing, a runny nose and tears.

Measles is known as one of the most dangerous diseases of childhood, but adults can also be infected. A 25-year-old man from Tshezi village outside Mthatha died on January 3 after contracting the virus from a two-year-old who came to visit from Gauteng during the Christmas holidays.

The vaccine is on the South African Expanded Programme on Immunisations schedule.

?However, a problem arises when a mother may choose for her child not to be immunised, maybe stemming from traditional beliefs, which would make that child susceptible,? Kupelo said.

?Professionals have been sent to the affected areas to assist in identifying those who might carry the virus. An additional stock of vials is on standby.?

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=2882&fArticleId=vn20100201145154364C438814

Cape measles outbreak
1 February 2010, 15:03

By Sipokazi Maposa, Health Writer

Western Cape health authorities say they are on high alert after receiving reports that nearly 250 people around the province have contracted measles in the past five months.

The provincial department of health on Monday confirmed that the 236 laboratory confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease reported around the Western Cape since September warranted describing it as "an outbreak".

The department has already started implementing measures to address the unusually high number of cases.

It has announced that a national mass immunisation programme, which was due to start in April, has been pushed forward and will now begin in February.

Measles is characterised by a high fever and skin rash. It mainly affects young children. In some cases, it can cause brain damage. Flu-like symptoms precede the first appearance of a rash.

Western Cape Health Department spokeswoman Faiza Steyn said that by Friday, 236 laboratory confirmed cases of measles had been reported in the province since September.

No deaths have yet been reported in the Western Cape as a result of the disease. Out of these confirmed cases, only 10 involved people over the age of 40. Steyn was unable to quantify how many adults had been diagnosed with measles.

The new cases, however, have been confirmed in cases involving patients as young as six months old.

Both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal were hit by measles outbreaks late last year. More than 1 000 children in Gauteng contracted measles in the space of three months.

The Gauteng outbreak also saw one Joburg prison being quarantined because 51 inmates there had been diagnosed with measles.

More than 3 000 cases at 27 courts had to be postponed in Joburg as a result of the quarantine.

The Eastern Cape has also experienced a surge in measles cases during the past month.

A 25-year-old man from Tshezi village outside Mthatha died on January 3 after contracting the virus from a two-year-old who came to visit during Christmas holidays from Gauteng.

By mid-January, there were 50 suspected measles infections reported from villages of Mathojanini, Thwalikulu, Mpaku, Zidindi, Ngcwanguba, Kwaiman and Tshezi.

A team from the Eastern Cape Health Department travelled around the province to vaccinate people against measles.

And north of the border, 22 people died in Zimbabwe during the month of December because of a measles outbreak there.

Steyn said Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Gugulethu, Athlone and the Cape Winelands region were hotspots for the current outbreak.

"The department can officially confirm an outbreak of measles in the province. All health facilities have been notified to be on alert," Steyn said.

She said the department had first noticed an increase in recorded measles cases in September last year.

The numbers had started climbing after the festive season, when many people were travelling back into the province after spending time in other parts of the country.

Damaries Fritz, the chairwoman of the Cape Metro Health Forum, has meanwhile criticised the department for "downplaying" the outbreak.

She said even though the forum was at the coalface of health care, and was supposed to be informed of such outbreaks, it had only learnt about the surge in measles cases on Friday, during a meeting with an official from the health department.

Fritz said the forum was told by a health department official that there was an "outbreak" in some parts of the province, particularly in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.

"We wonder why the department is trying to keep this under wraps. This hasn't been communicated to anybody.

"How are communities and parents supposed to know about the outbreak if they are not informed about it?" she asked.

Steyn denied a cover-up, and said the provincial department had fed the information to the national department for dissemination.

Steyn said a multi-phased national department of health immunisation project, designed to tackle measles and polio, had been planned to start in April. The project would now start this month, she said, and this was a direct consequence of the Western Cape measles outbreak.

* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Argus on February 01, 2010

 

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Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20100204121705475C270387

February 04 2010 at 01:29PM
By Sipokazi Maposa
Health Writer

The Western Cape Health Department has been lambasted by the national Health Department and civil society groups for withholding information about the measles outbreak in the province.

But provincial authorities have hit back, saying they kept mum because they did not want to cause "unnecessary panic".

The national department says provincial health authorities failed in their mandate to inform other health role players and communities in the Western Cape about the outbreak, which stood at 365 laboratory-confirmed cases by Tuesday.

This week Damaries Fritz, chairwoman of the Cape Metro Health Forum, accused the provincial department of "putting people's health at risk" by withholding information.

The provincial department had claimed it was the responsibility of the national government to inform communities of the outbreak, but national department spokesman Fidel Hadebe said that was the Western Cape's job.

"In terms of protocol the department is only required to notify provinces of any outbreaks.

"I'm not going to entertain claims that the Western Cape is allegedly making, but all I can say is that we have done our part," Hadebe said.

"When the outbreak started in Gauteng last October we informed all provincial health departments that there was a measles outbreak."

At the time, Gauteng health authorities denied there was an outbreak. When the Cape Argus reported the story at the end of October, the Western Cape authorities said there were only eight laboratory-confirmed cases, and no need to panic.

This was in stark contrast with provincial health department spokeswoman Faiza Steyn's latest comments that the number of cases had started to escalate in September.

So far, the province is one of the four provinces worst affected by the outbreak.

page 2 of 2

Gauteng is leading with 4 297 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 567, then North West Province with 532 cases, and then the Western Cape.

The Northern Cape has recorded 179 cases to date.

The National Institute for Communicable Disease said the number of cases in the Western Cape had increased by 62 from 303 last Tuesday to 365 this week.

Steyn denied any information cover-up saying it had fed the information to the national department for dissemination

The province also didn't want to create "unnecessary panic" in communities.

"Because the incident rate was not substantial, the department did not see it necessary to create unnecessary panic and honed in on the hotspot areas with the aim of increasing the immunisation to include children up to 15," she said.

But Fritz accused the department of violating people's rights.

"Who knows how many children out there have contracted the measles virus as a result of poor communication by health officials?

 

[Shiloh]

Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=vn20100205130440827C709648

Measles drive fast-tracked
February 05 2010 at 01:52PM

By Health Writer

The Western Cape health department says it has fast-forwarded its immunisation and awareness campaign against polio and measles after an outbreak of the highly contagious diseases.

But it's unable to say exactly when the campaign will kick off.

Health MEC Theuns Botha said in a statement that his administration was handling the outbreak well.

"We are handling the outbreak according to the best practice procedures of an outbreak, not an epidemic.

"Since the outbreak in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in September last year, we have been on high alert and have been putting plans in place to immunise babies and children," he said.

Botha said 58 996 children had been immunised against measles in the province between March and December last year. These children, aged between nine and 18 months, had been vaccinated routinely as part of the immunisation schedule offered by clinics and hospitals across the province.

"In the hot spot areas (including the Cape Metro and the Cape Winelands), anyone presenting to a health facility with measles symptoms is clinically treated and their contacts are followed up and immunised."

Botha said the measles and polio drive would include radio health talks, advertorials, posters and pamphlets, but he could not give a timeline for this.

This week the Cape Argus reported that 365 people in the Western Cape had contracted the disease since September last year.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases, which performs laboratory tests and keeps data about the outbreak, said the number was increasing.

Confirmed cases had jumped from 303 last Tuesday to 365 this Tuesday.

The department, however, has maintained that it has only had 260 cases to date.

Early this week the department said it had fed the information about the outbreak to the national government for dissemination. Local health authorities had kept mum because they didn't want to cause an "unnecessary panic".

The national department has since blamed provincial authorities for failing to inform clinics and communities about the measles outbreak.

* This article was originally published on page 5 of Cape Argus on February 05, 2010

 

[Shiloh]

Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article295086.ece

Killer measles outbreak
Other provinces now under threat after three deaths in Eastern Cape
Feb 6, 2010 11:00 PM | By Zine George - Additional reporting by Shanaaz Eggington and Philani Nombembe

The Eastern Cape Health Department is battling to contain a measles outbreak that has claimed three lives since January.

Zithulele Hospital's principal medical officer, Dr Karl le Roux, said the latest victim was a young pregnant woman who died at the Mthatha Academic Hospital on Wednesday.

He said two of the victims died ofpneumonic measles strains, and the third was killed by encephalitis measles.

He described measles as a highly infectious disease best dealt with by prevention, rather than managing it after an outbreak, "as it spreads like wildfire".

At Zithulele Hospital, 243 people have been admitted with measles symptoms since November.

Nosisa Pitoli arrived at the hospital with her 11-year-old son, Mthetheleli, a day after his birthday. The child developed a rash and a "runny tummy".

After rushing the boy to a clinic, she was referred to Zithulele Hospital, 25km away.

At that stage she said Mthetheleli was so dehydrated that he couldn't open his eyes.

"I was told that my son had measles. His running stomach and rash were clear signs of measles and he would have to be hospitalised," said Pitoli.

Eastern Cape Health Department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo confirmed the outbreak and described the situation in the King Sabtha Dalindyebo municipal area, which includes Mthatha and Mqanduli, as having reached "the epidemic curve and is still on the increase, especially in the inaccessible, hard-to-reach areas such as Ngcwanguba".

A National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) report revealed that the crisis had spread to other provinces in the past few weeks, and of the 6685 specimens sent to laboratories nationwide, 420 had tested positive for measles.

The Eastern Cape is considered one of the worst-hit provinces, as 108 of the 420 cases were from the province.

Dr Lucille Blumberg of the NICD said that the country was experiencing a measles outbreak and that some provinces were harder hit than others.

She said failure to vaccinate was the main cause.

At least two wards of the 120-bed Zithulele Hospital have been set aside to treat measles.

During a Sunday Times visit, the ward had four babies aged between two and eight months.

A two-year-old Twalinkulu village boy is suspected to have been the source of the outbreak in the Eastern Cape, after returning from Johannesburg a week before Christmas with positive signs of the illness.

"We thought all would be over in January, when holidays are over. Instead, things are getting worse ," said a healthcare worker at the hospital.

The report identified the first fatality as Aron Volibi, 20, of Qhogi village in Mqanduli. He was admitted to the hospital on December 29 and died on January 31.

The Department of Health has confirmed the death of a second case, a 22-year-old Fetshu villager, on January 3.

A report by the Eastern Cape Health Department attributes the fatalities to shortages of medical supplies such as needles, vaccines and syringes.

Zithulele Hospital, which admitted more than 70% of the affected cases in the province, complained of having no space to accommodate critical cases, which have to be isolated.

There is also no transport to transfer patients to better-equipped health facilities.

"We admitted 13 cases on Tuesday and 14 on Wednesday. The department has provided us with supplies, unlike at the beginning of the year, but because the outbreak is out of control already, it's hard to put up walls for it not to spread," said a Zithulele nurse.

"Our fear is that some of the local pupils have gone to areas such as East London and Port Elizabeth. I won't be surprised when the outbreak spreads to other areas."

Kupelo said the department was notified of the outbreak only on January 8, after which they sent teams to try to manage the situation, but owing to budget constraints, they were battling to contain the outbreak.

Mandla Sidu, a spokesman for the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development, said: "We had an outbreak last year, after which we undertook a massive immunisation campaign. This is why we have contained the disease in Gauteng."

Western Cape minister of health Theuns Botha said they are handling the situation as an outbreak, not an epidemic.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: South Africa: Measles cases

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=125&art_id=vn20100211124839585C327588

447 cases of measles in Cape
February 11 2010 at 01:33PM
By Health Writer

The number of measles cases in the Western Cape has increased dramatically, and now stands at 447.

According to the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD), there were at least 82 newly-confirmed laboratory cases in the province by Tuesday, bringing the number of cases to 447.

Gauteng still has the highest burden, with 4 359 cases, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 631, North West with 563, and then the Western Cape.

In the past week, the Eastern Cape saw the highest number of newly confirmed cases.

The 92 new cases there bring their total number of cases to 314.

KwaZulu-Natal had 67 new cases and Gauteng 84, the institute said.


The Northern Cape recorded 75 new cases.

In the Eastern Cape, three people have died of a fatal pneumonic measles strain since January, the latest victim being a pregnant woman who died last Wednesday.

Last week the Western Cape came under fire from the the national health department and civil society groups for withholding information about the measles outbreak in the province.

The national department said provincial health authorities had failed in their mandate to inform other health roleplayers and communities in the Western Cape about the outbreak.

But the provincial authorities hit back, saying they had kept mum because they did not want to cause "unnecessary panic".

Health MEC Theuns Botha said his administration was handling the measles issue as an "outbreak", not an "epidemic".

He said a measles and polio drive, which would include radio health talks, advertorials, posters and pamphlets, would be fast-tracked, but could not give a timeline for this.

Health department spokeswoman Faiza Steyn said there had been an increase in suspected measles cases in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein. She did not quantify the increase.

There had been no deaths linked to the measles outbreak, she said.



* This article was originally published on page 9 of Cape Argus on February 11, 2010