An MSF staff examines a patient in MSF’s inpatient unit in Pibor town on 7 September 2020. (Photo credit: MSF).

Health Authorities in Western Bahr el-Ghazal have declared a widespread outbreak of suspected cases of measles in the area.

The director-general of the state ministry of health, Dr. James Ambrose Ucini said the cases were detected during a surveillance in three counties and in the state capital Wau.

Ambrose said cases surged last week, with one school registering more than 100 pupils with symptoms of the disease.

“We have cases of measles in the locations of the three counties and within the state capital,” said the health official.

“The surveillance was conducted through investigation and we found that in one of the schools that more than 100 pupils below 5 years were affected by measles.”

Measles symptoms appear in 7 – 14 days after contact with the virus, and typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and blotchy skin rash.

Ucini said the disease is fatal if a child is not treated of the disease immediately.

He said the ministry has adopted an action plan to respond to the outbreak.