Key highlights:
- The NICD has tested 6460 serum samples for measles since epidemiological week 40, 2022, of which 1100 (17%) were confirmed positive. In the past week (week 25 up until week 26, 01/07/2023) there have been 10 laboratory-confirmed measles cases detected across the country, most of which were from Limpopo (6).
- The percentage of samples testing positive (PTP) increased from 17% (7/41) of samples tested in week 25 to 43% (3/7) of samples tested in week 26.
- In week 25 (week ending 25/06/2023), Limpopo province reported a total of five (5) new measles cases, while sporadic cases were reported in Gauteng (1) and Western Cape (1).
- To declare the measles outbreak over, the following criteria should be achieved: Absence of newly detected Measles cases for more than two incubation periods (42 days). The outbreak was declared over for the Northern Cape in week 15, North West in week 24 and Free State in week 25.
- Unfortunately, due to the ongoing sporadic cases, the outbreak cannot be declared over in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape.
