As of 10 November, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases reported 35 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in Limpopo, with 14 new cases on 8 and 9 November, all in Mopani district. Thus far, most of the laboratory-confirmed cases (25 of 35) fall within the 13 month to 9 year age range.
With these new cases, the Mopani district with 19 cases has overtaken the Greater Sekhukhune district which remains at 16 (see Figure 1). Only seven cases are known to be vaccinated; eight are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated; vaccination status of the remaining 20 is unknown.
According to a recent study published in BMC Public Health, measles has been experiencing a resurgence in South Africa. Over 2015–16, measles had remained largely under the elimination target of under one case per million in South Africa, but rose above this threshold from 2017–2019. Cases fell below the threshold in 2020 with the onset of COVID, but the pandemic also saw normal vaccination efforts slipping. The article authors also noted a measles vaccine effectiveness of only 80% among 1–4 year olds, compared to the 95% rate found in large datasets.
Those cases reported in the Mopani district were in the Greater Giyani, Ba-Phalaborwa, and Ga-Kgapane sub-districts. Epidemiological investigations showed that in the Mopani district, two siblings with measles infection had contact with cases in the Greater Sekhukhune district when they travelled there for a family funeral.
While two cases were reported in Vhembe District, they were considered sporadic as they had not links to the other cases and are not included in the outbreak tally.
The laboratory-confirmed measles infections have been identified in 19 males and 16 females ranging in age from 6 months and 24 years in the Greater Sekhukhune district, while cases range from 2 to 42 years in the Mopani district (Table 1), with increasing cases in the 5–9 year age range. Two children were hospitalised but no deaths or other complications from measles have been reported.
According to the NICD, the affected districts are continuing with the public health response activities and tracing and vaccinating contacts. Measles catch-up doses are also being given to children who have missed vaccinations.
Source: NICD
