Namibia on high alert for measles

NAMIBIA’S health services are on full alert after a measles outbreak killed more than 25 children in central Angola and reportedly continues to spread.

Under Secretary of Health Dr Norbert Forster informed The Namibian that Namibia was very concerned about the Angolan outbreak. “We have already communicated with the World Health Organisation and Unicef on this and we will receive regular updates on the situation in Angola through them,” Forster said.He said the measles outbreak was in the central and northern parts of Angola, but it could easily spread southwards.”The [Health] Ministry has also communicated to all regions to alert our medical and nursing personnel to be on the lookout for any measles cases, especially amongst children,” Forster said.Unlike polio which usually requires direct human contact for transmission, the measles virus can spread very easily through micro-droplets contained in the air people breathe out, especially while coughing.”In children, particularly those younger than five years of age, measles can easily lead to pneumonia, which – if severe – can be fatal.Therefore, measles vaccination is extremely important for all children under five years of age,” Forster said.He said, however, that at this stage there was “no reason for alarm” and the health authorities were monitoring the situation closely.”But it is of course very important that all parents and caretakers have all children under the age of five years vaccinated against measles,” he said.Namibia is preparing for a mass vaccination campaign to immunise children under the age of five against measles and polio from August 20 to 24.Children will also receive vitamin A supplementation.”This opportunity must not be missed,” Forster emphasised.The measles outbreak in Angola comes barely two weeks after health authorities in Namibia announced that they had successfully disrupted the transmission chain of a poliovirus that has killed 27 people.The poliovirus is suspected to have spread from Angola, although the strain originated in India.More than 230 suspected polio cases had been reported in Namibia but more than 100 of those cases have since been found not to be polio.The measles cases in Angola have been reported in the capital city Luanda and the provinces of Huambo, Cabinda, Lunda Norte, Cuando-Cubango and Benguela.The country has 18 provinces.The WHO said Angola continued to suffer from the triple threat of cholera, measles and malaria because of serious capacity problems, which were a legacy of the 27-year civil war that ended in 2002, and the government’s failure to invest in basic health services since then.By the end of June, over 47 000 cases of cholera, including 1 893 deaths, had been recorded in 14 Angolan provinces.Half of these cases occurred in Luanda.”We have already communicated with the World Health Organisation and Unicef on this and we will receive regular updates on the situation in Angola through them,” Forster said.He said the measles outbreak was in the central and northern parts of Angola, but it could easily spread southwards.”The [Health] Ministry has also communicated to all regions to alert our medical and nursing personnel to be on the lookout for any measles cases, especially amongst children,” Forster said.Unlike polio which usually requires direct human contact for transmission, the measles virus can spread very easily through micro-droplets contained in the air people breathe out, especially while coughing.”In children, particularly those younger than five years of age, measles can easily lead to pneumonia, which – if severe – can be fatal.Therefore, measles vaccination is extremely important for all children under five years of age,” Forster said.He said, however, that at this stage there was “no reason for alarm” and the health authorities were monitoring the situation closely.”But it is of course very important that all parents and caretakers have all children under the age of five years vaccinated against measles,” he said.Namibia is preparing for a mass vaccination campaign to immunise children under the age of five against measles and polio from August 20 to 24.Children will also receive vitamin A supplementation.”This opportunity must not be missed,” Forster emphasised.The measles outbreak in Angola comes barely two weeks after health authorities in Namibia announced that they had successfully disrupted the transmission chain of a poliovirus that has killed 27 people.The poliovirus is suspected to have spread from Angola, although the strain originated in India.More than 230 suspected polio cases had been reported in Namibia but more than 100 of those cases have since been found not to be polio.The measles cases in Angola have been reported in the capital city Luanda and the provinces of Huambo, Cabinda, Lunda Norte, Cuando-Cubango and Benguela.The country has 18 provinces.The WHO said Angola continued to suffer from the triple threat of cholera, measles and malaria because of serious capacity problems, which were a legacy of the 27-year civil war that ended in 2002, and the government’s failure to invest in basic health services since then.By the end of June, over 47 000 cases of cholera, including 1 893 deaths, had been recorded in 14 Angolan provinces.Half of these cases occurred in Luanda.