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A measles outbreak in Kono District has left 55 patients undergoing treatment, with health authorities warning that limited beds and funding are hampering containment efforts as cases continue to emerge.
Dr Mohamed Sheku, the District Medical Officer, confirmed the outbreak during a partners’ coordination meeting at the District Health Management Team Hall in Koidu City. He said the district was officially classified as experiencing an outbreak after three confirmed cases were recorded within one month — the epidemiological threshold for declaring an outbreak.
Of 85 suspected cases recorded to date, laboratory testing of five samples sent to Freetown returned three positives, Dr Sheku said. Four additional suspected cases were recently identified and are awaiting lab results. The majority of confirmed cases are in Koidu Municipality, followed by Kamara and Sandor Chiefdoms.
Dr Sheku said he received the positive results by phone on July 29 while on official assignment in Makeni. He said 49 of the cases are male and 37 are female, with children under five most affected — presenting with fever and generalised skin rashes.
The outbreak comes as the district’s isolation unit has only 13 beds available for measles patients, raising concerns about capacity to manage severe cases. Dr Sheku identified inadequate funding and limited accommodation for health workers as major challenges confronting the response. He said measles can lead to serious complications including blindness, malnutrition and death, particularly in vulnerable children.
Despite these challenges, the District Health Management Team has deployed a Rapid Response Team, intensified active case searches and strengthened case management. The response is occurring during the ongoing 300 Days of Activism campaign, which targets zero preventable maternal deaths, zero preventable child deaths and zero-dose children.
Dr Sheku also reported progress in maternal and child health, noting significant reductions in maternal and child deaths since the beginning of the year — progress he attributed to collective stakeholder efforts. Recent healthcare investments in Kono District include a Special Care Baby Unit and a new ambulance, though staffing remains a concern with housing shortages for midwives.
The outbreak is part of a wider national emergency. On May 13, the National Public Health Agency and Ministry of Health declared a measles outbreak across Sierra Leone after 41 confirmed cases were reported in eight districts, with a laboratory positivity rate of 75 per cent suggesting widespread community transmission. By May 19, the total had reached 49 confirmed cases.
Dr Sheku urged parents and caregivers to ensure children are vaccinated, noting that measles is a highly infectious airborne disease that can be fatal. He advised the public to treat suspected cases with the same caution as confirmed cases and seek medical attention promptly when symptoms appear.
