By Staff Reporter

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Staff Reporter

A TOTAL of ten positive measles cases have been confirmed in the Opuwo District in the Kunene Region.

“As of 12 September, a total of 20 suspected cases were reported. All were investigated in the laboratory, and ten tested positive. All cases are in a stable condition, and no deaths have been reported. According to our national guidelines, when two out of five suspected measles cases are laboratory-confirmed, it constitutes a measles outbreak. Hence, we declare the existence of a measles outbreak in Opuwo District, Kunene Region,” the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, announced.

The minister explained that measles is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects children, but can also occur in unvaccinated teenagers and adults. It spreads through coughing, sneezing, and close contact with infected individuals. Symptoms typically appear 10 to 14 days after exposure and may include a rash, fever, runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks.

“Most deaths from measles are due to complications related to the disease. These may include blindness, encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage), severe diarrhoea and related dehydration, ear infections, and severe respiratory problems, including pneumonia,” Luvindao added.

She stressed that measles is preventable through vaccination. The Ministry of Health currently provides two doses of the measles vaccine to children — the first at nine months and the second at 15 months.

Luvindao revealed that most of the confirmed cases so far involve individuals who were not vaccinated. As a result, the Ministry is rolling out a targeted vaccination campaign in the affected areas. The campaign will run from 17 September to 3 October 2025, aiming to vaccinate over 28,000 children between the ages of six and 15 months across the entire Opuwo District.

Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: Contributed