A measles patient in Tambura. (-)

The Commissioner of Tambura County in Western Equatoria State said the area recorded increasing cases of measles disease as more than 70 critically ill patients have been hospitalized in one week.

Mattha Mabenge said local health facilities are unable to contain the spread of the virus due to lack of medicine.

Commissioner Mabenge said about 71 severe cases have been registered and admitted to a hospital in the area.

“There are large numbers of people infected by measles in the hospitals, and there is no treatment while hospitals are overcrowded. We have a shortage in beds in the hospital,” Mabenge said.

“I hope that this matter will draw the attention of the government and take action to provide medicine for the disease.”

He added that some patients are still at homes and are refusing to report to the hospital due to shortage of beds in the facilities.

According to him, patients are currently sheltering under trees due to overcrowding at admission wards.

“We have recorded 71 cases of measles up to now for a week and we have isolated the suspect cases in a specific place. Some are at home and refuse to go to the hospital due to a lack of medicine.”

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection, spread through contact with mucus that has been coughed or sneezed, or through breathing the same air as an infected person hours after they have left a room.

Commissioner Mabenge said the majority of registered cases are for children.

“Most of the cases of infection are young children, with some cases among young people, men and women, and we isolated them from the people as a precautionary measure to be able to confront the disease.”

He called on the national Ministry of Health to intervene by providing medicines and equipment.