At least 51 cases of measles, have been confirmed in Rubkona County area of South Sudan.

“We have confirmed 51 cases of the measles outbreak, the sample was taken to Juba and the results were found positive. Among the 51 confirmed cases, most of them were children and there are no death cases, but some are in severe conditions,” Tot Jokchieng Nyuon, the Unity State Minister of Health told Xinhua news agency by phone on Thursday.

Nyuon has raised concerns that measles would spread in the nearby congested internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp and among those displaced by floods.

He further disclosed that they are planning to evacuate children with severe measles to a health facility in the Bentiu IDPs camp run by MSF, an international medical charity.

The health ministry is working with the World Health Organization and other humanitarian partners to conduct a measles public awareness campaign next week to disseminate measles prevention messages to the community.

On February 23, a measles outbreak was declared in South Sudan in three counties of Torit, Maban and Tambura.