CAPE TOWN, May 1 — South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported a sharp rise in measles cases across the country, calling for greater surveillance and stronger vaccination efforts.
According to the NICD’s latest weekly situation report released Friday, South Africa recorded 1,352 laboratory-confirmed measles cases from Dec. 29, 2025, to April 26, 2026, covering epidemiological weeks 1 to 17.
This represents a dramatic increase compared with the same period last year, when 182 confirmed measles cases were reported in the first 18 weeks of 2025.
The outbreak is widespread, with the Western Cape recording the highest number of new cases in the past week at 42. Children aged one to 14 accounted for the majority of infections, making up 67.8 percent of reported cases.
The NICD also noted a concerning rise among older age groups, with 19.7 percent of cases occurring in people aged over 15.
“This is indicative of continuing measles transmission within communities and possibly an immunity gap in older age groups,” it said.
“This shift in the epidemiology of measles among adults warrants further investigation to inform and improve public health interventions.”
The institute emphasized that measles remains endemic in the country and tends to increase seasonally, especially during autumn.
Outbreaks are more likely in areas with low vaccination coverage, where children are “either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated,” the NICD warned.(Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
