By James Muonwa I Mashonaland West Correspondent

SOME 113 children have so far succumbed to the measles outbreak in Mashonaland West province, a senior Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) official has revealed.

Speaking during the official opening of Catholic-built clinic, RSHM Life Care Centre in Chinhoyi Thursday, provincial medical director, Gift Masoja said all recorded casualties were of unvaccinated children.

“Unfortunately as a province we have so far lost 113 children to measles, and all of them were unvaccinated against the disease” said Masoja.

In response to the measles scourge, he added, the MoHCC despatched vaccination teams, both static and mobile, across the province’s seven districts.

The inoculation outreach is targeting the 6 to 13 age group. It began August 29 and ends September 10 this year.

Measles starts with a mild to moderate fever, often with a persistent cough, a runny nose, inflamed eyes and a sore throat.

The relatively mild illness may last two to three days and patient develops a rash made up of small red spots, some of which are slightly raised.