South Sudan confirms measles outbreak in flood-hit area-Xinhua

South Sudan confirms measles outbreak in flood-hit area

Source: Xinhua| 2022-11-17 22:02:00|Editor: huaxia

JUBA, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- A South Sudanese health official on Thursday confirmed 51 cases of measles following an outbreak in the Rubkona County of the northern Unity State.

"We have confirmed 51 cases of the measles outbreak, the sample was taken to Juba and the results were found positive. Among the 51 confirmed cases, most of them were children and there are no death cases, but some are in severe conditions," Tot Jokchieng Nyuon, the Unity State Minister of Health told Xinhua by phone on Thursday.

Nyuon said they are worried that measles would spread in the nearby congested internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp and among those displaced by floods.

He disclosed that they are planning to evacuate children with severe measles to a health facility in the Bentiu IDPs camp run by MSF, an international medical charity.

Nyuon added that they are working with the World Health Organization and other humanitarian partners to conduct a measles public awareness campaign next week to disseminate measles prevention messages to the community, especially in Rubkona town, Bentiu town, and the Bentiu IDPs camp.

On Feb. 23, a measles outbreak was declared in South Sudan in three counties of Torit, Maban and Tambura.

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