South Africa reports sharp surge in measles cases

South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported a sharp rise in measles cases across the country, calling for greater surveillance and stronger vaccination efforts.



According to the NICD's latest weekly situation report released Friday, South Africa recorded 1,352 laboratory-confirmed measles cases from Dec. 29, 2025, to April 26, 2026, covering epidemiological weeks 1 to 17.



This represents a dramatic increase compared with the same period last year, when 182 confirmed measles cases were reported in the first 18 weeks of 2025.



The outbreak is widespread, with the Western Cape recording the highest number of new cases in the past week at 42.