SUVA, 08 NOVEMBER 2019 (FIJI HEALTH MINISTRY) —-Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services has declared an outbreak of measles for the Serua/Namosi subdivision.
There have been two confirmed cases and two (suspected cases reported from Wailali Settlement in Wainadoi. Three of the cases have recovered or are recovering at home, and one is currently admitted in hospital.
Anyone who was in Navua Hospital on the evening of Tuesday 04 November, or in the IMCI children’s clinic on the morning of Wednesday 05 November is being urged to contact the Subdivisional medical officer.
The Serua/Namosi Subdivisional Outbreak Response Team has activated their measles response plan, which includes isolating cases and tracing and vaccinating those that had contact with the cases, as well as vaccinating communities at risk.
– you may have been exposed to measles and it is important you get in contact as soon as possible. Also, contact the Subdivisional Medical Officer if you live in the Serua/Namosi area and have symptoms of measles.
The symptoms of measles are:
Fever and a rash with any of the following: runny nose/sneezing, cough, red/watery eyes, white spots inside the mouth. The rash starts after the other symptoms and spreads all over the body.
For the rest of Fiji:
“Please ensure your children have received at least two doses of the measles vaccine according to the Fiji immunization schedule. If they haven’t, or you are not sure, please visit your nearest health centre.
“Please avoid non-essential travel to the outbreak area. If you are intending to travel to Serua/Namosi, please get vaccinated against measles at least two weeks before travel (it can take up to two weeks for the vaccine to take effect). Free vaccine is available at your nearest Ministry of Health and Medical Services health centre for those aged 12 months and above who are travelling overseas or to an outbreak area.
Babies aged between six (6) and twelve (12) months can also get vaccinated if they are travelling to an area with an ongoing outbreak of measles – but they will still need to receive their next scheduled measles vaccines as per the Fiji immunisation schedule. Pregnant women should not be vaccinated.
“Please be aware of the symptoms of measles, and if you have them, please call ahead before going to your health centre to avoid spreading the disease to others,” the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services urges the public to take heed of their advice to protect yourselves and your families from measles. (PACNEWS)