Outbreak of measles in the National Capital District, Papua New Guinea in 2001.

Documentation in the past has shown that measles outbreaks occurred in the National Capital District every 3-4 years, with the last outbreak in 1997. In 2001 another outbreak of measles occurred in the National Capital District. A total of 492 cases of measles were recorded during the 6 months (April-September) of a study conducted at the Children's Outpatients Department and the Paediatric Ward of the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH). The highest number was recorded in July. 44% of patients were infants less than 12 months of age. 9% of children with measles were under 6 months, the recommended age for vaccination. Only 35% of the children with measles had had their first inoculation and only 11% had received their second inoculation of measles vaccine. During this epidemic, 14.5% of the total attendance of 38,323 children received measles vaccine in the children's outpatients. 72% of children seen with measles at PMGH were admitted to the paediatric ward. Most were admitted because of complications, including severe pneumonia and/or diarrhoea. There were 19 deaths recorded during the 6 months study, a case fatality rate of 4%.