Measles-rubella rash surveillance continues to report an increase in clinical cases of suspected measles and rubella cases to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases for laboratory confirmation. Clinical cases reported were mostly in areas where rubella circulation started increasing in December 2023 and January 2024.
Highlights
Measles Surveillance
- A total of 158 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported between epidemiological week 1 to week 30 of 2024 in South Africa. From epidemiological week 1 to week 30, the largest number of laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported in Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces, at 81 and 26, respectively.
- Thirty-four laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported in Sedibeng district in Gauteng province from week 1 to week 30. Sporadic measles cases have been reported in the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and West Rand districts from week 14 to week 30. Increases in the City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni were seen in epidemiological weeks 26 and 27.
- Measles cases affected mostly children between ages 1-4 years and 5-9 years. Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces reported measles among age groups that should have been vaccinated during the measles vaccination campaign in 2023.
Rubella Surveillance
- A total of 1754 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases have been reported in South Africa from week 1 to week 30 2024. Most laboratory-confirmed rubella cases in South Africa were reported in the Western Cape province (704 cases) and Eastern Cape provinces (484 cases), while Northern Cape and Gauteng provinces reported 187 and 261 cases respectively.
- Rubella circulation has increased in Gauteng province and Kwazulu-Natal in recent epidemiological weeks, with sustained circulation in Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. In Gauteng, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape provinces, all districts are affected. In the Northern Cape province, four districts are affected, which are Pixley Ka Seeme, Namakwa, Frances Baard and ZF Mgcawu District. In Kwazulu-Natal, one district is mostly affected, namely uThukela District, while sporadic cases have been reported among other districts.
- Rubella infection affects mostly children from 1 year to 12 years. It is reported that 53 individuals were aged between 15 to 49 years of which 32 patients were females of childbearing age. Rubella infection poses a risk of women having congenital rubella syndrome if they are infected in the first trimester of the pregnancy. The largest number of rubella cases are in the age group 5-9 years.
