Parents are being urged to vaccinate their children as the country is facing an increase in measles cases.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, more than 400 cases have been confirmed.
The NICD reported cases in Gauteng, the North West and Limpopo. The affected children are under the age of 14.
“The age distribution and origin of cases remain largely unchanged, with the majority of measles cases in outbreak-affected provinces being among the five-to-nine-year age group (39%), and the highest proportion of cases arising from hospitals, as opposed to primary health clinics, in the under-one-year age group (54%).
“However, there is a significant number of cases in the 10-to-14-year age group (17%), justifying the need for a vaccination campaign to include this age group. Members of the public are urged to ensure their children are vaccinated against measles,” the NICD said.
The Free State has embarked on a vaccination drive, with other provinces following suite.
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The City of Cape Town's vaccination kicks off from Monday, February 6, and is expected to run until March 31.
“The Western Cape has not experienced a measles outbreak, but there have been five reported cases in the province. Children between the ages of six months and 14 years and 11 months will receive an additional measles vaccination at schools, crèches and City of Cape Town clinics," the CoCT said.
Measles is predominantly a childhood disease, however, adults can contract the virus.
The symptoms include:
· A high fever
· Runny nose
· Cough
· Red and watery eyes
· A rash that starts appearing after a fever. It looks like small, red, flat spots and starts on the face and upper neck. The rash fades after five or six days
Tips to care for a child at home who may have measles:
· Keep your child away from other people until the rash has cleared up, usually four days.
· Keep the room dark where your child is resting.
· Make sure they drink a lot of clean water.
· Ensure they eat healthy, fresh foods
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