New Zealand has declared its first outbreak of Measles since 1991. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba says the death toll continues to climb with the emergence of the virus. Consequently, the outbreak has claimed 15 lives to date — only emphasizing the need for a swift and effective response.
The current outbreak is ongoing and limited to the southern Kasai province, with the majority of cases in the locality of Boulapé. This 34-year-old pregnant woman from this region has now been confirmed as the first case. The seriousness of the situation cannot be overstated, and Kamba has surely stressed the serious nature of this outbreak in his comments.
Kamba told our health media colleague, Hank Kalet, that the provisional report shows 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths. Of the deaths, 14 were in Boulapé, 1 in Mweka, and four health care workers were among the affected. This staggering statistic highlights the potential for rampant transmission and the uphill battle health officials will face as they try to get this outbreak under control.
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has been actively monitoring the situation. Dr. Mohamed Janabi, the WHO regional director for Africa, reported that efforts are underway to control the spread of the virus. We’re taking strong and aggressive action to quickly stop the epidemic and keep all of our communities safe, Dr. Janabi claimed.
Congo’s ministry of health has a plan in place for contagious outbreaks and has both treatments and the Ervebo Ebola vaccine on hand. Such readiness will be important as public health officials continue to work to detect and contain the virus and prevent additional infections.
The outbreak has a shocking case fatality rate of 53.6%. This sobering statistic should make us question just how successful our current containment strategies actually are. Health officials are not just working to treat those already affected, but to stop new cases from occurring.
