Issued by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases based on laboratory testing data
Highlights
- The NICD has tested 6816 serum samples for measles since epidemiological week 40, 2022, of which 1160 (17%) were confirmed positive. In the past weeks (week 34 up until week 35, 02/09/2023), 17 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were detected across the country from four of the eight provinces where Measles outbreak was confirmed; Gauteng reported most of the cases (11), Limpopo reported three, Kwa-Zulu Natal reported two and North West reported one case.
- Since epidemiological week 32, there has been an increase in the number of reported cases. The cases in recent weeks are mostly from Gauteng. All cases reported in week 35 are from Gauteng province.
- To declare the measles outbreak over, the following criteria should be achieved: Absence of newly detected measles cases for more than two incubation periods (42 days). The criteria for declaring the measles outbreak over was met in the Northern Cape province in week 15, the North West province in week 24, and the Free State province in week 25.
Outbreak overview
From epidemiological week 40, 2022 to week 35, 2023, the NICD tested 6816 serum samples for measles of which 1160 (17%) were confirmed measles cases. The number of samples submitted and the percentage of laboratory-confirmed measles positive cases are shown in Figure 1. From epidemiological week 40 of 2022 to week 35 of 2023, 1151 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported from eight provinces with declared measles outbreaks; Limpopo (522 cases), Mpumalanga (113 cases), North West (221 cases), Gauteng (200 cases), Free State (33 cases), Western Cape (18), KwaZulu-Natal (37) and Northern Cape (7) (Table 1)The number of blood samples and throat swabs submitted to the NICD for measles serology and PCR testing decreased from 61 in week 34 to 30 test in week 35.
