South Sudanese authorities have declared a nationwide measles epidemic after confirming nearly 2,500 cases and more than 30 deaths in recent months.after a rebound in infections since 2021 due to the interruption of immunization campaigns due to insecurity and the various crises that are shaking the African country.
This was explained in detail by the director general of the Prevention Services of the South Sudanese Ministry of Health, John Rumunu So far, 2,471 cases and 31 deaths have been reported in 22 counties of the ten states that make up the country, before adding that there are multiple cases that may have gone undetected, as reported by the Eye Radio station.
“Following the number of laboratory-confirmed measles cases, the Ministry of Health declares a measles outbreak in South Sudan,” he said, before adding thate The government has stepped up vaccination campaigns in 15 of the 22 counties affected by the outbreak.
Likewise, he assured that the ministry has opened investigations to determine the extent of the spread of the disease in the communities and defended that Yuba and his partners have taken preventive measures to try to contain the epidemic, including awareness campaigns on symptoms and dangers of disease.
Rumunu recalled that “the last nationwide immunization campaign took place in 2020, with coverage below 85 percent, which is below the recommended target of 95 percent,” as reported by radio station Radio Tamazuj. “This has caused an increase in unvaccinated children, which puts them at risk of contracting measles and the potential for possible outbreaks,” she said.
Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family and is usually transmitted through direct contact and through the air, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) through its website. Then, he points out that “measles is a very contagious and serious disease” and points out that “before the vaccine was introduced in 1963 and its use became widespread, every 2 or 3 years there were large measles epidemics causing almost two million deaths a year.
