Measles surveillance

National measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases nationwide. Data available (accessed 03 September 2026) from 29 December 2025 to 30 August 2026 (ISO Weeks 1-35) indicated that 4188 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported nationally. Since the previous report (ISO week 34), 125 additional cases were detected. Limpopo reported the highest number of new cases (22), followed by Gauteng (21), Northern Cape (21), KwaZulu-Natal (17), Free State (16), Western Cape (9), North West (8), Eastern Cape (6), and Mpumalanga (5).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Clinicians and public health officials are urged to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationally to improve case reporting, laboratory confirmation, and contact tracing, to support national measles elimination goals. All suspected measles and rubella cases should be investigated promptly, with blood specimens collected for laboratory confirmation, and notification should be completed through the Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System (NMCSS ).

For the public

Public awareness campaigns should be intensified to build trust in vaccines and address hesitancy by engaging with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders to promote vaccine acceptance and participation in immunisation activities.

Update on the rubella outbreak in South Africa

Between 29 December 2025 and 30 August 2026 (ISO Weeks 1–35), a total of 506 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported in South Africa through the national fever-rash surveillance system (data accessed 3 September 2026). Since the previous report, 10 new rubella cases have been reported. During the reporting period, most cases occurred among children aged 1–14 years (381/506; 75.3%).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that is usually mild but can cause serious complications in pregnancy, resulting in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) in infants. Health professionals should strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of suspected cases to support national elimination goals.

For the community

Rubella, also known as German measles, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes and can be dangerous for unborn babies if a pregnant woman becomes infected. The best way to prevent rubella is through vaccination with the MR vaccine. This vaccine is given as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Relevant resources, including the case definition, investigation form, and surveillance results, are available on the NICD measles page and the measles-rubella dashboard.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Highlights:

• Since the last situational report (week 34, 2026), the following updates are included in this report:
  o No new laboratory-confirmed cases of toxigenic diphtheria.
  o No new asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic C. diphtheriae.
• Appropriate public health responses were initiated for all suspected and confirmed cases.

Information for clinicians

Clinical presentation of respiratory diphtheria

Respiratory diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by toxigenic C. diphtheriae (and more rarely C. ulcerans or C. pseudotuberculosis), and can occur in persons of all ages.

The clinical presentation includes the following signs and symptoms:

• sore throat
• low-grade fever
• AND an adherent membrane of the nose, pharynx, tonsils, or larynx – the membrane is greyish-white and firmly adherent to the tissue
• AND/OR enlarged glands in the neck (bull neck)
• toxin-mediated systemic signs including myocarditis, polyneuropathy and renal damage

Patient management
Treatment includes antibiotics (azithromycin or penicillin) to clear the organism from the throat and prevent onward transmission, and diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) to neutralise unbound toxin. The dosage of DAT is determined by the duration and severity of illness. Treatment, contact tracing and chemoprophylaxis should be started prior to laboratory confirmation. Early administration of DAT may be life-saving and should not be delayed in cases with a high index of suspicion. Supportive care is primarily aimed at airway management and includes providing oxygen, monitoring with electrocardiogram and intubation or performance of a tracheostomy if necessary.

To access previous diphtheria situational reports, click here.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Measles surveillance

National measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases nationwide. Data available (accessed 20 August 2026) from 29 December 2025 to 16 August 2026 (ISO Weeks 1-33) indicated that 3,891 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported nationally. Since the previous report (ISO week 32), 144 additional cases were detected. The Western Cape reported the highest number of new cases (38), followed by Limpopo (30), Northern Cape (20), Gauteng (16), Free State (14), Mpumalanga (12), North West (7), KwaZulu-Natal (5), and Eastern Cape (2).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Clinicians and public health officials are urged to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationally to improve case reporting, laboratory confirmation, and contact tracing, to support national measles elimination goals. All suspected measles and rubella cases should be investigated promptly, with blood specimens collected for laboratory confirmation, and notification should be completed through the Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System (NMCSS ).

For the public

Public awareness campaigns should be intensified to build trust in vaccines and address hesitancy by engaging with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders to promote vaccine acceptance and participation in immunisation activities.

Update on the rubella outbreak in South Africa

Between 29 December 2025 and 16 August 2026 (ISO Weeks 1–33), a total of 480 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported in South Africa through the national fever-rash surveillance system (data accessed 20 August 2026). Since the previous report, 37 new rubella cases have been reported. During the reporting period, most cases occurred among children aged 1–14 years (384/480; 79.0%).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that is usually mild but can cause serious complications in pregnancy, resulting in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) in infants. Health professionals should strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of suspected cases to support national elimination goals.

For the community

Rubella, also known as German measles, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes and can be dangerous for unborn babies if a pregnant woman becomes infected. The best way to prevent rubella is through vaccination with the MR vaccine. This vaccine is given as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Relevant resources, including the case definition, investigation form, and surveillance results, are available on the NICD measles page and the measles-rubella dashboard.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Highlights:

• Since the last situational report (week 32, 2026), the following updates are included in this report:
  o One new laboratory-confirmed case of toxigenic cutaneous diphtheria from Gauteng.
  o No new asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic C. diphtheriae.
• Appropriate public health responses were initiated for all suspected and confirmed cases.

Information for clinicians

Clinical presentation of respiratory diphtheria

Respiratory diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by toxigenic C. diphtheriae (and more rarely C. ulcerans or C. pseudotuberculosis), and can occur in persons of all ages.

The clinical presentation includes the following signs and symptoms:

• sore throat
• low-grade fever
• AND an adherent membrane of the nose, pharynx, tonsils, or larynx – the membrane is greyish-white and firmly adherent to the tissue
• AND/OR enlarged glands in the neck (bull neck)
• toxin-mediated systemic signs including myocarditis, polyneuropathy and renal damage

Patient management
Treatment includes antibiotics (azithromycin or penicillin) to clear the organism from the throat and prevent onward transmission, and diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) to neutralise unbound toxin. The dosage of DAT is determined by the duration and severity of illness. Treatment, contact tracing and chemoprophylaxis should be started prior to laboratory confirmation. Early administration of DAT may be life-saving and should not be delayed in cases with a high index of suspicion. Supportive care is primarily aimed at airway management and includes providing oxygen, monitoring with electrocardiogram and intubation or performance of a tracheostomy if necessary.

To access previous diphtheria situational reports, click here.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Highlights:

• Since the last situational report (week 31, 2026), the following updates are included in this report:
  o No new laboratory-confirmed cases of toxigenic diphtheria.
  o No new asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic C. diphtheriae.
• Appropriate public health responses were initiated for all suspected and confirmed cases

Information for clinicians

Clinical presentation of respiratory diphtheria

Respiratory diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by toxigenic C. diphtheriae (and more rarely C. ulcerans or C. pseudotuberculosis), and can occur in persons of all ages.

The clinical presentation includes the following signs and symptoms:

• sore throat
• low-grade fever
• AND an adherent membrane of the nose, pharynx, tonsils, or larynx – the membrane is greyish-white and firmly adherent to the tissue
• AND/OR enlarged glands in the neck (bull neck)
• toxin-mediated systemic signs including myocarditis, polyneuropathy and renal damage

Patient management
Treatment includes antibiotics (azithromycin or penicillin) to clear the organism from the throat and prevent onward transmission, and diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) to neutralise unbound toxin. The dosage of DAT is determined by the duration and severity of illness. Treatment, contact tracing and chemoprophylaxis should be started prior to laboratory confirmation. Early administration of DAT may be life-saving and should not be delayed in cases with a high index of suspicion. Supportive care is primarily aimed at airway management and includes providing oxygen, monitoring with electrocardiogram and intubation or performance of a tracheostomy if necessary.

To access previous diphtheria situational reports, click here.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Measles surveillance

National measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases nationwide. Data available (accessed 13 August 2026) from 29 December 2025 to 09 August 2026 (ISO Weeks 1-32) indicated that 3747 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported nationally. Since the previous report (ISO week 31), 111 additional cases were detected. The Western Cape reported the highest number of new cases (27), followed by Gauteng (26), Northern Cape (16), Free State (14), Mpumalanga (11), Limpopo (8), Eastern Cape (7) and North West (2).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Clinicians and public health officials are urged to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationally to improve case reporting, laboratory confirmation, and contact tracing, to support national measles elimination goals. All suspected measles and rubella cases should be investigated promptly, with blood specimens collected for laboratory confirmation, and notification should be completed through the Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System (NMCSS ).

For the public

Public awareness campaigns should be intensified to build trust in vaccines and address hesitancy by engaging with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders to promote vaccine acceptance and participation in immunisation activities.

Update on the rubella outbreak in South Africa

Between 29 December 2025 and 9 August 2026 (ISO Weeks 1–32), a total of 443 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported in South Africa through the national fever-rash surveillance system (data accessed 13 August 2026). Since the previous report, 15 new rubella cases were reported. During the reporting period, most cases occurred among children aged 1–14 years (332/443; 75.0%).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that is usually mild but can cause serious complications in pregnancy, resulting in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) in infants. Health professionals should strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of suspected cases to support national elimination goals.

For the community

Rubella, also known as German measles, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes and can be dangerous for unborn babies if a pregnant woman becomes infected. The best way to prevent rubella is through vaccination with the MR vaccine. This vaccine is given as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Relevant resources, including the case definition, investigation form, and surveillance results, are available on the NICD measles page and the measles-rubella dashboard.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Measles surveillance

National measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases nationwide. Data available (accessed 30 July 2026) from 29 December 2025 to 26 July 2026 (ISO Weeks 1-30) indicated that 3462 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported nationally. Since the previous report (ISO week 29), 49 additional cases were identified. The Western Cape reported the highest number of new cases (18), followed by Free State (12), Mpumalanga (9), Eastern Cape (4), Gauteng (3) and Northern Cape (3). There were no new cases in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and North West.

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Clinicians and public health officials are urged to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationally to improve case reporting, laboratory confirmation, and contact tracing, to support national measles elimination goals. All suspected measles and rubella cases should be investigated promptly, with blood specimens collected for laboratory confirmation, and notification should be completed through the Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System (NMCSS ).

For the public

Public awareness campaigns should be intensified to build trust in vaccines and address hesitancy by engaging with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders to promote vaccine acceptance and participation in immunisation activities.

Update on the rubella outbreak in South Africa

Between 29 December 2025 and 26 July 2026 (ISO Weeks 1–30), a total of 398 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported in South Africa through the national fever-rash surveillance system (data accessed 30 July 2026). Since the previous report on 22 July 2026, no new rubella cases were reported. During the reporting period, most cases occurred among children aged 1–14 years (313/398; 78.6%).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that is usually mild but can cause serious complications in pregnancy, resulting in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) in infants. Health professionals should strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of suspected cases to support national elimination goals.

For the community

Rubella, also known as German measles, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes and can be dangerous for unborn babies if a pregnant woman becomes infected. The best way to prevent rubella is through vaccination with the MR vaccine. This vaccine is given as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Relevant resources, including the case definition, investigation form, and surveillance results, are available on the NICD measles page and the measles-rubella dashboard.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Highlights:

• Since the last situational report (week 29, 2026), the following updates are included in this report
  o No new laboratory-confirmed cases of toxigenic diphtheria.
  o No new asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic C. diphtheriae.
• Appropriate public health responses were initiated for all suspected and confirmed cases.

Information for clinicians

Clinical presentation of respiratory diphtheria

Respiratory diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by toxigenic C. diphtheriae (and more rarely C. ulcerans or C. pseudotuberculosis), and can occur in persons of all ages.

The clinical presentation includes the following signs and symptoms:

• sore throat
• low-grade fever
• AND an adherent membrane of the nose, pharynx, tonsils, or larynx – the membrane is greyish-white and firmly adherent to the tissue
• AND/OR enlarged glands in the neck (bull neck)
• toxin-mediated systemic signs including myocarditis, polyneuropathy and renal damage

Patient management
Treatment includes antibiotics (azithromycin or penicillin) to clear the organism from the throat and prevent onward transmission, and diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) to neutralise unbound toxin. The dosage of DAT is determined by the duration and severity of illness. Treatment, contact tracing and chemoprophylaxis should be started prior to laboratory confirmation. Early administration of DAT may be life-saving and should not be delayed in cases with a high index of suspicion. Supportive care is primarily aimed at airway management and includes providing oxygen, monitoring with electrocardiogram and intubation or performance of a tracheostomy if necessary.

To access previous diphtheria situational reports, click here.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Measles surveillance

National measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases nationwide. Data available (accessed 16 July 2026) from 29 December 2025 to 12 July 2026 (ISO Weeks 1-28) indicated that 3209 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported nationally. Since the previous report (ISO week 26), 590 additional cases were identified. The Western Cape reported the highest number of new cases (171), followed by Free State (155), Gauteng (65), Mpumalanga (48), Northern Cape (44), Limpopo (43), Eastern Cape (34), KwaZulu-Natal (19) and North West (11).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Clinicians and public health officials are urged to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationally to improve case reporting, laboratory confirmation, and contact tracing, to support national measles elimination goals. All suspected measles and rubella cases should be investigated promptly, with blood specimens collected for laboratory confirmation, and notification should be completed through the Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System (NMCSS ).

For the public

Public awareness campaigns should be intensified to build trust in vaccines and address hesitancy by engaging with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders to promote vaccine acceptance and participation in immunisation activities.

Update on the rubella outbreak in South Africa

Between 29 December 2025 and 14 June 2026  (ISO Weeks 1–24), a total of 312 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported in South Africa through the national fever-rash surveillance system (data accessed 17 June 2026). In the previous week, 5 new rubella cases were reported. During the reporting period, the majority of cases occurred among children aged 1–14 years (252/312; 80.8%).

Public health interventions

For health professionals

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that is usually mild but can cause serious complications in pregnancy, resulting in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) in infants. Health professionals should strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of suspected cases to support national elimination goals.

For the community

Rubella, also known as German measles, spreads easily through coughs and sneezes and can be dangerous for unborn babies if a pregnant woman becomes infected. The best way to prevent rubella is through vaccination with the MR vaccine. This vaccine is given as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule.

Relevant resources, including the case definition, investigation form, and surveillance results, are available on the NICD measles page and the measles-rubella dashboard.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE

Highlights:

• Since the last situational report (week 27, 2026), the following updates are included in this report:
  o One new laboratory-confirmed case of toxigenic respiratory diphtheria from the Western Cape.
  o Three new asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic C. diphtheriae: two from Limpopo and one from the Western Cape.
• Appropriate public health responses were initiated for all suspected and confirmed cases.

Clinical presentation of respiratory diphtheria

Respiratory diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by toxigenic C. diphtheriae (and more rarely C. ulcerans or C. pseudotuberculosis), and can occur in persons of all ages.

The clinical presentation includes the following signs and symptoms:

• sore throat
• low-grade fever
• AND an adherent membrane of the nose, pharynx, tonsils, or larynx – the membrane is greyish-white and firmly adherent to the tissue
• AND/OR enlarged glands in the neck (bull neck)
• toxin-mediated systemic signs including myocarditis, polyneuropathy and renal damage

Patient management
Treatment includes antibiotics (azithromycin or penicillin) to clear the organism from the throat and prevent onward transmission, and diphtheria anti-toxin (DAT) to neutralise unbound toxin. The dosage of DAT is determined by the duration and severity of illness. Treatment, contact tracing and chemoprophylaxis should be started prior to laboratory confirmation. Early administration of DAT may be life-saving and should not be delayed in cases with a high index of suspicion. Supportive care is primarily aimed at airway management and includes providing oxygen, monitoring with electrocardiogram and intubation or performance of a tracheostomy if necessary.

To access previous diphtheria situational reports, click here.

READ THE FULL UPDATE HERE