Map of Western Equatoria State. (Courtesy).

The death toll from the measles outbreak has reached eighteen amid rising cases, the Minister of Health in Western Equatoria has said.

This is up from nine since the outbreak in January this year.

Eleven of the deaths – mainly children, occurred in Nzara County and seven at the Yambio Civil Hospital and a Primary Health Care Unit.

According to the state Health Minister, James Abdallah, the state registered seven new infection cases as of Saturday, March 30, 2024.

He told Eye Radio, 157 cases are currently being treated at different health facilities in the state.

“Currently, the cases of measles are very high after the vaccination of yellow fever and I would like to inform you and the public are currently in Yambio State Hospital. We have many cases of measles the number of cases is 157 cases,” Juma said.

“The number of cases has already increased for example in Yambio State Hospital we lost three children, then in Yambio HCC we lost four children, then in Nzara also it was ten, but now eleven including the nine-last time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Juma says the state is still waiting for intervention from the national health ministry and international health partners.

“We haven’t received any medical supplies, we have already submitted our micro plan to the National Minister of Health and WHO and according to the information from our partner WHO, they have received the report and they are still working on it,” he said.