MANILA – Fifty-five children in the National Capital Region (NCR) have died due to measles since the start of the year, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
DOH secretary Francisco Duque III said on Thursday that the outbreak, which was attributed to “low vaccine coverage because of the Dengvaxia scare,” happened to children between 3 months and 4 years old.
The DOH Epidemiology Bureau data showed that in the first 19 days of January, Metro Manila recorded 169 cases, which was 550 percent higher compared to the same period last year.
“We are declaring an outbreak as cases have increased in the past weeks and to strengthen surveillance of new cases and alert mothers and caregivers to be more vigilant,” Duque said.
The DOH chief added that the country’s vaccination coverage rate declined to 60 percent following the controversy surrounding Dengvaxia.
Some parents refused to have their children vaccinated for fear that they would suffer adverse side effects.
Duque also said the DOH was expanding the declaration to other regions in Luzon and the Visayas to strengthen surveillance of measles as cases have increased in the past weeks.
“The DOH today is raising the red flag for measles in other regions of Luzon, Central and Eastern Visayas aside from yesterday’s declaration in the NCR,” the DOH secretary stressed.
The DOH recorded 525 cases with nine deaths in Calabarzon (Region IV-A); 441 with four deaths in NCR; 192 cases with four deaths in Central Luzon (Region III); 104 cases and three deaths in Western Visayas (Region VI); and 71 cases with one death in Central Visayas (Region VII).
Meanwhile, there were 70 cases with no deaths in Mimaropa (Region IV-B); 64 cases with two deaths in the Ilocos Region (Region I); 60 cases with no deaths in Northern Mindanao (Region X); 54 cases with one death in Western Visayas (Region VIII); and 43 cases with no deaths in Soccsksargen (Region XII.)
Duque also advised the public to bring their children with fever – the first sign of the disease – to the nearest health facility for immediate treatment.
He also asked the public to go the health centers and get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting in Malacañang a vigorous campaign to promote the complete immunization for children./PN
