Last Updated on 2 years by Publishing Team

Monday 20^th December 2021

PR 02/2021

Media Advisory for Measles

In line with the Media Release dated the 16^th of November, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services wishes to inform the public that no further new cases of measles have been detected.

Meanwhile, the Ministry’s programme of immunization is in action, whereby we are immediately embarking with the following actions:

• All children aged 6 months to 11 years old in the Serua-Namosi Medical Sub-division shall receive one dose of measles vaccination and children aged 6 months to 5 years shall receive 2 drops of oral Polio vaccine
• All children in Fiji who have turned 1 year old and are yet to receive their MMR vaccine, are encouraged to go to their nearest health facility for their vaccination. This includes Year 1 students who are yet to receive their measles vaccination.

The Ministry wishes to advise all members of the public in Viti Levu who are traveling to the outer islands for their Christmas and New Year holidays, all parents and guardians of children traveling should ensure that their children have completed their vaccination before travel. This will ensure that the traveling children, as well as the vulnerable children in their holiday destinations, are well protected.

Travel operators and tour organizers are encouraged to ensure that children who are traveling out of Viti Levu have completed their immunization schedule as per their Immunization cards. Children and babies who have not completed their scheduled immunization should be referred immediately to their local health facility for further assessment and immunization.

In addition, the Ministry wishes to advise all parents and guardians of children throughout Fiji to check on the immunization status of their children and ensure that the immunization status of their children are up to date and all scheduled immunizations due to date have been taken.

For further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact your nearest health facility.

If an individual is noted to have a fever and rash, please seek medical attention immediately.

Signs and Symptoms of Measles

Measles is a highly contagious, serious, airborne disease caused by the measles virus, and spread through air droplets as well as by direct contact. The virus infects the respiratory tract and spread throughout the body. The signs and symptoms of measles are:

• High fever – which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus lasting 4 to 7 days
• A runny nose
• Cough
• Red and watery eyes
• Small white spots inside the cheeks in the initial stage
• After several days a rash erupts usually on the face and upper neck, within 3 days it spreads reaching the hands and feet lasting for 5 to 6 days.

Any individual presenting with the above signs and symptoms is requested to please visit their nearest health facility for immediate attention and treatment.

ENDS