Immunity gaps during the pandemic drive a dramatic rise in rubella cases in SA, with over 8,700 infections reported by September 2024.
Immunity gaps created during the Covid pandemic are thought to have led to a spike in rubella cases in 2024.The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has seen an increase in rubella cases across South Africa, with more than 8 000 positive cases identified at the end of September.
More than 8 700 positive cases were identified up until the end of September, with 98% of cases occurring in children under 15 years of age, according to the NICD. The majority of children affected fell within the five-to-nine age group.
The department/NICD fever-rash surveillance showed nearly no instances of rubella throughout 2020–2022, thanks to non-pharmaceutical actions used during the Covid-19 pandemic to stop the disease from spreading. “The seasonal increase in 2024 has exposed these many susceptible children to infection, and thus, there are a larger number of rubella cases than in prior years.”The NICD said rubella is a self-limiting infection that presents with fever and a maculopapular rash, myalgia, enlarged lymph nodes, headache, and conjunctivitis.Occasionally, persons may develop joint pain, low platelets, and mild encephalitis. The complications are usually self-limited.
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