Measles: Health dept asks for help

2009-10-27 10:13

Johannesburg - The Gauteng health department urged parents on Tuesday to sign consent forms for their children to be inoculated against measles before the end of the month.

"It is regrettable that some parents are yet to sign the forms allowing their children to be immunised," health and social development MEC Qedani Mahlangu said.

"We would like to urge all parents to co-operate in this regard as this will minimise the spread of this disease, which is otherwise easily prevented."

The department was planning to have immunised more than three million people by the end of October.

"This is in response to more cases of measles outbreak being reported in the province."

Currently, 5000 inmates of the Johannesburg Prison - where 51 measles cases have been detected - were being inoculated.

So far, more than 1.4 million people in Gauteng had been given measles injections in the past two weeks.

"The campaign has seen health workers visiting schools and creches targeting children from the ages of six months up to both primary and high schools learners."

Health workers and hospitals had been placed on high alert for people displaying symptoms of measles, a highly contagious viral disease.
Symptoms include a runny nose, cough, red eyes, fever and rashes.

Complications include encephalitis (brain infection), pneumonia (lung infection), ear infections and deafness.

In Gauteng, 1034 cases and one death had been confirmed from last Monday.

Countrywide, at least four people had died of measles recently.

- SAPA