The Eastern Cape health department on Tuesday began immunising young people to combat a measles outbreak in villages in the Elliotdale area of Transkei.
The outbreak has so far claimed the life of an infant.
A number of other cases have been confirmed.
Departmental spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said 35 nurses and 6 000 doses of vaccine have been moved into the area, where about seven villages are seen as under threat.
He said provincial health minister Bevan Goqwana, a medical doctor, administered the first 10 vaccinations on Tuesday morning before handing over to the nurses.
Helicopters will be used to transport health workers to three particularly inaccessible villages.
Kupelo said that because the province started its measles immunisation campaign only in about 1997, young people aged between 10 and 20 years, and not only infants, are also under threat.
”So, we are going to target everyone from six months to 21 years,” he said.
The campaign will focus on schools before going door to door. — Sapa