From epidemiological week 1 to week 18 of 2025,182 laboratory-confirmed measles cases and 280 rubella cases were reported by the Measles Reference Laboratory at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa. Of the 182 laboratory-confirmed measles cases reported since the beginning of the year, 104 cases were in Gauteng province and 42 were reported in Free State province.

Most of the measles cases were reported in the Lejweleputswa district, Matjhabeng subdistrict, where a measles outbreak was detected in epidemiological week 10 of 2025. Meanwhile, 280 laboratory-confirmed rubella cases were reported in the country, with 107 rubella cases reported in North West province. Both measles and rubella affected mostly children aged 1-15 years, with an increase in several measles and rubella cases in the age group 15-49 years in the fever rash surveillance used to monitor measles and rubella virus circulation.

• Rubella infection affected mostly children from 1 to 14 years of age, with the population affected mostly being those aged 5 to 9 years. Fourteen(14) rubella cases were reported in persons aged 15-49 years.

Since the beginning of 2025, the number of fever rash samples submitted to the National Measles reference laboratory at NICD for measles and rubella surveillance, the rubella virus has still been detected more than the measles virus. The rubella virus transmission has decreased nationally, with sustained rubella transmission seen in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, North West province and Namakwa District in the Northern Cape province from week 1 to week 18 of 2025.

The measles transmission still continues in areas with low measles immunity in the community with measles transmission continuing in Gauteng province and a measles outbreak detected in Lejweleputswa district in the Free State province.

Routine measles vaccination should be strengthened, and measles catch-up doses should continue in healthcare facilities for the children who missed their scheduled doses.

Health awareness is recommended in the areas where rubella cases are circulating. Although rubella infections cause mild disease in adults and children, women in their first trimester of pregnancy who acquire rubella for the first time are at risk of passing rubella onto their foetus, with consequential congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).