No more lab testing for Engela measles cases

LABORATORY testing of measles samples from the Engela district is no longer being done, as an outbreak has officially been confirmed in the region and patients presenting symptoms will simply be treated for measles.

By early last week, 38 cases had been confirmed, and 125 cases were suspected. These numbers were enough to confirm an outbreak.Several more cases have been reported in the Cunene province of Angola, from where the Engela outbreak is said to have spread. If other areas report suspected measles cases, then we will collect samples,’ Dr Lawson Ahadzie of the World Health Organisation said.’In the Engela District, if a case presents itself then we can treat that as measles.’Hospitals in northern Namibia have been advised to remain vigilant and report daily to the Ministry of Health.Measles symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, coughing, runny nose, red eyes, and a generalised fine rash that spreads from the face and neck down the body. It is spread by coughing and sneezing, and close contact with fluids from an infected person’s nose and mouth.Ahadzie also confirmed that the three-day vaccination campaign which started in the Engela District on Wednesday, and targeted children between the ages of six months and five years old, would end today.Meanwhile, two cases of measles – those of a 24-year-old man and a three-month-old baby – have been confirmed in Katutura, Windhoek.nangula@namibian.com.na