From week 1 to week 35 of 2025, the national measles surveillance has detected an increase in measles cases. As of 29 August 2025, a total of 837 laboratory-confirmed measles cases have been reported, with 529 cases in Gauteng province, 120 in the Free State province, 79 in Limpopo, and 47 in Mpumalanga.
Since the last update in epidemiological week 34, 15 new measles cases were reported in Gauteng, 11 in Limpopo, 7 in Mpumalanga, and one each in Free State, North West, Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces. The reported measles infections were mainly in children aged 1-14 years, with an increase in laboratory-confirmed cases seen in people aged 15 years and above in Gauteng province and Limpopo.
Update on the measles outbreak in South Africa
Gauteng province measles outbreak updates
Gauteng province continues to report a high number of cases, with 529 laboratory-confirmed cases reported from epi-week 1 to 35 of 2025. The majority of the laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in the metropolitan areas, with the distribution of cases as follows: City of Johannesburg (134), City of Tshwane (262), Ekurhuleni (113), Sedibeng (17), and West Rand (3).
Free State province measles outbreak update
Free State province continues to report laboratory-confirmed measles cases, with 120 cases from epi-week 1 to 35 of 2025. The majority of laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in the Lejweleputswa district, which reported 106 cases, with 16 cases reported between epi-weeks 32 and 35. The measles cases in Lejweleputswa district have been decreasing after public health interventions were implemented
Measles outbreak in Limpopo and Mpumalanga
From week 27, Limpopo reported an increase in the number of laboratory-confirmed cases in the Vhembe district, with 73 cases reported as of the end of week 35. The measles outbreak is currently affecting the Musina Local Municipality in the northern part of Limpopo.
In Mpumalanga province, 47 laboratory-confirmed measles cases have been reported from epi-week 1 to week 35. From epi-week 24 to week 35, there was an increase in laboratory-confirmed cases in Gert Sibande and Nkangala districts, with 7 and 31 laboratory-confirmed cases reported respectively.
Recommendations for public health interventions
- Measles awareness should be intensified in areas with localised outbreaks in order to alert the communities about the outbreaks and the prevention of the disease.
- Parents should be encouraged to vaccinate their children to protect them against measles infections.
- Parents whose children have missed their scheduled routine measles immunisation vaccine doses are encouraged to take their children for a measles vaccine catch-up dose.
- Measles surveillance should be strengthened nationally to improve case reporting and contact tracing.
- Provinces are urged to conduct measles risk assessment and continue with targeted or supplementary measles immunisation activities or campaigns in areas with low measles coverage and high numbers of children who have either never received vaccines (zero dose areas) or are under vaccinated (children who received one instead of the recommended two measles vaccine doses)
- Public awareness efforts must be intensified to address vaccine hesitancy by engaging with all relevant stakeholders in the affected communities
- Clinicians should report the suspected measles cases and collect blood specimens for laboratory confirmation, and also report patients who develop measles signs and symptoms using the NMC Surveillance System.
- Strengthening routine immunisation services and launching a mass vaccination campaign targeting children up to 15 years of age is also recommended.
Relevant resources, including the case definition, investigation form, and surveillance results, are available on the NICD measles page and the measles-rubella dashboard.
