1.2 million children immunised across the province

By Khanyisa Tabata
19 May 2010

Western Cape Health department says about 1.2 million children have been immunised across the city since declaring an outbreak of Measles.

Health department spokesperson Darren Francis says there has been a considerable downward trend in the number of measles cases reported in May.

Francis says numerous schools and other childcare facilities were visited by nurses during phase one of the immunisation campaign.

“The Department of Health decided that the measles isolation ward at Khayelitsha District Hospital will be decommissioned as of Monday, 24 May. This ward will be re-commissioned as an 18 bed general pediatrics ward. As a precautionary measure, steps will be taken later this week to decontaminate the ward before use.

“In addition, the isolation wards at Tygerberg Hospital and New Somerset Hospital will remain open until the Department is fully satisfied that the measles epidemic is under control,” said Francis.

Francis added that the isolation wards at Tygerberg and New Somerset Hospital are currently still running at 60-70 percent capacity and will be reviewed at the end of May. However, more beds will be made available should there be an upsurge in measles cases.