THE Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has warned that the Measles outbreak has spread beyond Makoni district in Manicaland provinces to other provinces amidst indications of a surge in new infections and deaths over the past days.
By Staff Reporter
In a statement, the health ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr Jasper Chimedza said the cases were emanating from church gatherings that happened in the recent weeks.
The ministry of health and child care wishes to inform the public that the ongoing outbreak of measles which was first reported on the 10th of April 2022 in Mutasa District of Manicaland province has since spread nationwide following church gatherings,” said Dr Chimedza.
The church gatherings which were attended by people from different provinces of the country with unknown vaccination status led to the spread of measles to previously unaffected areas.
“As of the 11th of August, 2022, a total of 1036 suspected cases, 125 laboratory confirmed cases and 80 deaths have since been reported since the outbreak resulting in a case fatality rate of 6.9%. Manicaland has constituted the highest number of cases (356) and 45 deaths.”
Majority of the cases are being reported among children aged 6 to 15 years mainly from religious sects who are not vaccinated against measles.
