| Situation Update No. 3 Ref.no.: EP-20091214-24160-ZWE
Situation Update No. 3
On 2010-01-07 at 04:20:20 [UTC]
Event: Epidemic
Location: Zimbabwe Statewide Number of Infected: 373 person(s)
Situation: FIFTEEN more cases of measles were recorded up to the end of last month, a majority of which involve children who were never immunised before. According to the World Health Organisation weekly update for the period 21 to 27 December, a total of 24 cases were recorded from which 15 were proven to be positive. This brings to 103 the total number of positive measles cases recorded so far after the previous week recorded 88. Measles has so far claimed 22 lives in Manicaland province among the apostolic sect members, who for long have been shunning medicalservices citing religious beliefs. The number of people reported with signs and symptoms of the disease but not positively identified under a laboratory investigation has also increased from 350 to 373 during the same period. The WHO further states that 88 of the positive children were immunised. Most of them were in the nine months to 14 years age group while seven of them were not immunised as they were below the immunisable age of nine months. Of all positive cases recorded so far, only seven were immunised before. To date, 18 districts out of 62, have reported measles outbreaks and these are: Bindura, Bubi, Buhera, Bulawayo, Chegutu, Chirumhanzu, Chipinge, Chitungwiza, Gokwe South, Gutu, Harare, Insiza, Kwekwe, Makoni, Makonde, Marondera, Mutare, and Zvishavane. "Case based surveillance for measles continues in all districts and provinces. Immunisation of children aged between nine months and 14 years is taking place and cases treatment is done in the health facilities in areas affected by measles outbreaks," reads part of the WHO report. Pressure has also mounted on Government to divert from a dialogue strategy they are using to convince leaders of the apostolic sect but push the church leaders to publicly announce over the pulpit that all their members should seek medical attention. Measles causes high fever, skin rash, running nose, watery eyes and a cough. |
