Tujoromajo Kasuto
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed a measles outbreak in the Outapi district, Omusati Region, with 23 suspected cases discovered during surveillance activities of the Omusati Regional Health Directorate investigations.
According to the Executive Director of the Health Ministry Ben Nangombe, the majority of the 14 cases are from Outapi District and occurred at a school in Olukekete Village. The Tsandi District had eight and Okahao District one.
He stated that five of the cases investigated were laboratory confirmed, while one was classified as compatible after testing equivocal (considered positive) and could not be retested due to the prolonged onset of symptoms.
Some cases that have not been classified are awaiting results from NIP Laboratory.
According to the report, of the laboratory confirmed cases, four are linked to a school near the Namibia/Angola border.
In addition, 2 cases (1 positive and another 1 classified as compatible) originate from Omakange Village in the Tsandi District, also in the Omusati Region.
At present, Nangombe asserts that the number of cases in the Tsandi District have not reached the outbreak threshold.
The age of all confirmed cases is below 15 years, ranging between 5 months and 12 years.
Four are females and two males.
They are all currently in a stable condition and none has been admitted to a health facility. No death, linked to the outbreak has been reported.
The index case is a learner at Jerry Ekandjo Combined School in the Outapi District. The symptoms were initially noticed on 3rd April 2022. The affected learner attends school at nearby village inside Angola. All subsequent cases and contacts from the same school had symptoms during the months of April and May 2022.
