The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has encouraged parents to make sure that children are vaccinated against preventable diseases. The department says the province is seeing an increase in measles outbreaks especially in urban areas such as Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Eerste River, Somerset West, Mitchells Plain, Kraaifontein, and Wesbank.
PICTURE: NICDAccording to the National Institute of Communicable
Diseases (NICD), the province recorded 52 new measles cases, as of 7 November
2025. The NICD said measles outbreaks are ongoing in different parts of South
Africa, with Gauteng being the most affected.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that infects the
respiratory tract. Symptoms of measles include high fever, rash, runny nose,
conjunctivitis and coughing. Healthcare practitioners can diagnose measles on
signs and symptoms and a blood sample collected for laboratory testing.
Measles is endemic in South Africa, with cases typically
increasing during autumn and spring.
‘’Although sporadic cases are reported in areas with high
measles vaccination coverage throughout the year in South Africa, outbreaks
usually occur in areas with low vaccination coverage, where many children are
either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated (having received only one instead of
the two recommended doses). A national
measles vaccine campaign is currently ongoing in South Africa and is envisaged
to run from 03-28 November 2025,’’ said the NICD.
‘’The increase in measles cases is not unique to the
Western Cape 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. This decline
contributed to multiple outbreaks of measles, rubella, and diphtheria across
the Province, signaling serious gaps in population immunity,’’ said Monique
Johnstone, Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness spokesperson.
‘’Ensuring immunisation coverage across the Province
remains a top priority of the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness.
Since October 2024, the Department has ramped up its immunisation efforts to
protect young children from serious and life-threatening vaccine-preventable
diseases. To ensure we can continue to protect our communities through our
vaccination efforts, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is
working with the National Department of Health and SAHPRA to maintain sufficient
measles vaccination stock,’’ she added.
The Department have implemented an early warning and
response system to these outbreaks that includes strengthening coordination of
the response, intensify disease surveillance, clinical management of cases, and
community engagement.
Johnstone says targeted vaccination outreaches will be
prioritised in the areas where we see a rapid increase in measles cases.
‘’We ask that parents look out for measles symptoms and
keep their children home when they have one or more of the symptoms so that 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.’’
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,’’ concluded Monique Johnstone, Western Cape Department of Health
and Wellness spokesperson.
Done By: Mitchum George
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