MEASLES OUTBREAK

Families warned to vaccinate as virus causes havoc on Cape Flats

- BY VOICE REPORTER

THE Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has warned of an increase in measles outbreaks on the Cape Flats.

Areas affected include Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Eerste River, Somerset West, Mitchells Plain, Kraaifontein and Wesbank.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that infects the respiratory tract. Symptoms include high fever, rash, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and coughing.

Healthcare practitioners can diagnose measles based on signs and symptoms, and a blood sample collected for laboratory testing.