NICD sees increase in measles cases, Western Cape ranked 2nd nationally

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has urged public health officials to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationally following a notable increase in measles cases.

According to the NICD, data available and accessed on 24 June 2026 found that 2476 laboratory-confirmed measles cases were reported nationally from 29 December 2025 to 21 June 2026.

“Since the previous report, several additional cases were identified,” added the NICD

The Free State reported the highest number of new cases with 132, followed by the Western Cape with 58. Meanwhile, Gauteng reported 46 cases, Northern Cape 44, Limpopo 36, Mpumalanga 28, Eastern Cape 20, KwaZulu-Natal 6, and North West 4.

In a statement, the NICD has also urged clinicians and public health officials to strengthen measles and rubella surveillance nationwide to improve case reporting, laboratory confirmation, and contact tracing, thereby supporting national measles elimination goals.

“All suspected measles and rubella cases should be investigated promptly, with blood specimens collected for laboratory confirmation, and notification should be completed through the Notifiable Medical Conditions Surveillance System (NMCSS ).”

It has also called for public awareness campaigns to be intensified to build trust in vaccines and address hesitancy by engaging with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders.

Update on the rubella outbreak in South Africa

During the same period, the institute recorded a total of 338 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases through the national fever-rash surveillance system data accessed on 24 June 2026.

In the previous week, 26 new rubella cases were reported. During the reporting period, the majority of cases occurred among children aged 1–14 years.

“Rubella is a contagious viral infection that is usually mild but can cause serious complications in pregnancy, resulting in Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) in infants.”

The NICD has called on health professionals to strengthen surveillance and laboratory confirmation of suspected cases to support national elimination goals.