S. Sudan announces measles outbreak in Upper Nile
October 2, 2013 (JUBA) – The health ministry and World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday announced an outbreak of Measles in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, a day after a Polio spate in the country prompted an emergency declaration.
According to the health ministry, 10 of the 15 samples collected from patients in Malakal teaching hospital tested positive for the disease.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which affects mostly children. It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Symptoms of the disease, which reportedly appears within 10–12 days after infections are said to include high fever, runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth.
“Those affected are aged between 6-18 months of age and continue receiving treatment at Malakal teaching hospital”, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry of health informs all the communities that we are committed to containing the outbreak in Malakal county, it added.
To contain the disease, however, the health ministry said it had instituted the following measures;
– Reactivated a national and a state measles taskforce to coordinate the interventions response
– Surveillance has been heightened at the facility and community levels
– Together with the state ministry of health and partners on ground (WHO, UNICEF) plans to conduct mass measles vaccination campaigns targeting over 31,303 children between the ages of 6 months-5 years have been put in place.
(ST).