An outbreak of German measles at Rhodes University has been confirmed by the dean of students, Vivian de Klerk, on Thursday 18 August.
An outbreak of German measles at Rhodes University has been confirmed by the dean of students, Vivian de Klerk, on Thursday 18 August.
“Many cases of measles have been reported to the Health Care Centre since Monday 15 August,” said de Klerk in an email to Grocott’s Mail .
The exact number of cases has not been confirmed because officials at the Health Care Centre could not comment, instead referring inquiries to Dr Francois Zietsman who diagnosed all the cases seen at the health care centre.
Zietsman, however, was not available for comment.
Questioning whether the German measles infections were across Grahamstown, Settlers' Hospital quality assurance manager, Sister Meier told Grocott’s Mail that no cases had been reported at Settlers Hospital.
German measles
Rubella, commonly known as German measles, is a viral infection that primarily affects the skin and lymph nodes. It is a contagious disease transmitted through saliva or mucus when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Common symptoms include a red skin rash, fever, headache, and cough, swollen lymph nodes on the neck and behind the ears, muscle aches and joint pains.
Any student experiencing a rash should seek medical attention for a diagnosis.
There is no drug that will cure rubella once you have it. Your body will combat the infection and once you have overcome it, you will have immunity against rubella for life.
Bed rest, a healthy diet and plenty of fluids will assist your body in recovering from the infection.
Infected pregnant women
While the virus is not life threatening, it is particularly dangerous for pregnant women. Rubella in a pregnant woman can cause congenital rubella syndrome, with potentially devastating consequences for the developing foetus.
Children who are infected with rubella before birth are at a higher risk of physical and mental birth defects.
