The Western Cape is grappling with a surge in measles outbreaks across urban areas, including Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Eerste River, Somerset West, Mitchells Plain, Kraaifontein, and Wesbank, reports Cape town Etc .
This rise is part of a trend that reflects a broader decline in childhood vaccination uptake throughout South Africa, which experts say poses a significant threat to public health and undermines national efforts to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases.
Statistics indicate that the region has witnessed multiple outbreaks of measles, rubella, and diphtheria in recent months, signalling gaps in population immunity.