The Department of Health has warned the public about the rising cases of rubella, commonly known as measles.
This after the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced that a total number of 10 137 positive cases of rubella have been identified in the country between January and November 2024, which is higher than cases recorded last year.
Rubella is a highly contagious but vaccine-preventable disease.
The disease spreads from person to person through droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by an infected person.
The Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said most cases were recorded in Gauteng and Western Cape.
“Majority of cases were recorded in Gauteng and the Western Cape provinces.
While more than 90% of the total cases are in children between under 15 years of age accounting to over 8 300 cases, with only one patient over the age of 50 years,” said Mohale.
Children are said to be susceptible to the disease and urged parents and caregivers to ensure that their vaccinated against the disease.
“The risk of transmission remains high amongst children especially because many children entered the year 2024 without prior exposure to rubella, or without being vaccinated against rubella.
If children are not vaccinated against rubella, and never come into contact with rubella virus through natural infection, children will remain susceptible to rubella,” warned Mohale.
Children and pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe health complications of rubella.
Parents and caregivers have been urged to closely monitor the health condition of their children and look out for common symptoms which include rash, fever, sore throat, headache, cough, runny nose, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and nausea.
He said symptoms develop two to three weeks after exposure.
Mohale said the disease can also lead to the birth defects in unborn children.
“Rubella infection poses a risk of congenital rubella syndrome amongst pregnant mothers if they are infected in the first trimester of the pregnancy,” highlighted Mohale.
He emphasized that the public healthcare facilities will remain accessible throughout the festive season.
Mohale called for calm and encouraged members of the public to present themselves or their loved ones with suspected rubella symptoms to healthcare facilities, to receive urgent medical care.
