News24.com | Measles outbreak recorded in Bethlehem, Free State

A health worker preparing a syringe with a measles vaccine dose.

• A measles outbreak has been recorded in Bethlehem in the Free State.
• There have been more than 220 reported cases of measles nationwide.
• The government intends launching a national immunisation campaign in 2023.

There has been an outbreak of measles in the town of Bethlehem in the Free State.

Five cases were reported, said health department acting spokesperson Elke de Witt.

"Patients affected are currently receiving treatment," said De Witt.

The Free State cases come as part of a national outbreak that has affected four other provinces.

The majority of cases have been recorded in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, News24 previously reported. There have been more than 220 cases reported nationally with around half of those in Limpopo.

READ | Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces claim highest measles cases as infections climb to 227

The national health department has raised concerns that inter-provincial travelling during the festive season could further spread the disease.

The department has launched an immunisation campaign in Limpopo and said a national campaign will be launched in February. 

Measles is a viral infection that is highly contagious and can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, hospitalisation, swelling of the brain and could even result in death. Measles spreads from person to person by close respiratory contact. It usually takes 10 to 14 days after exposure to a person with measles before the first symptoms develop.

"Parents are reminded that the purpose of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in South Africa (EPI-SA) is to prevent death and reduce suffering from diseases of childhood that can be prevented by immunisation of men, women and children," said De Witt.

"The Free State Health Department appeals to community members to be vigilant and go to their nearest clinic or healthcare provider [if they suspect they have measles]."

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