05 Aug 2014

The head of Chobe District Health Management Team (DHMT), Dr John Makuka says there is an outbreak of measles at Chobe Junior Secondary School.

He explained that measles, known as Rubella or German measles was slightly milder than the common measles. In an interview, Dr Makuka said they had received around 140 cases.

He confirmed that they were dealing with rubella after lab results confirmed that. “We suspected that it was rubella all along, which is much milder than the normal measles,” Dr Makuka explained.

He added that they had reversed the decision to close down the school after earlier assessment, adding that the danger of closing the school was that some of the infected might in turn pass the virus on to their families hence the need to alert communities and other school heads.

He explained that they would be worried if the outbreak was affecting children between zero to three but so far all the 140 cases were from a junior school. “The danger with rubella is that if it infects pregnant women as it can deform their unborn babies,” he noted.

Dr Makuka explained that rubella was caused by a virus and it was an air borne disease, adding that the symptoms of the disease included; fever, fine rash, light cough and general body weakness. ENDS