In its latest statement on the South Sudan situation, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) warns that an increasing percentage of refugees in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia have shown symptoms of measles infection. Only seven cases have been isolated in Kenya.
Mr Guilhem Molinie, the organisation’s head of mission in Kenya, on Monday said at least 22 per cent of the more than 10,000 refugees hosted at Kenya’s Nadapal Camp have “upper respiratory tract infections” and another 11 per cent have “lower respiratory tract infections”.
“With cases of measles reported at the camps in Juba, where most of these refugees passed through, it is of utmost importance that we do all that we can to prevent an outbreak in Kenya,” he said.
According to the World Health Organisation, measles is a contagious disease that causes fever. Patients often feel as if they have a cold.
The health organisation said the virus that causes measles often resides in the nose and throat of infected people and can be spread to others when they sneeze, cough or even talk.
The organisation, which is working with Kenya’s Ministry of Health to screen refugees arriving at Nadapal, said it is focusing more on measles after seven people tested positive.
On Friday, MSF said it had screened 6,000 people and vaccinated more than 2,863 children against measles and polio.
Daily Nation
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