ILOILO City – While measles cases in Western Visayas are on the downtrend, the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 could not lift the declaration of a measles outbreak announced in February this year.
Only the DOH central office could do that officially, according to Dr. Renilyn Reyes, head of DOH-6’s Family Health and Nutrition Cluster.
Also, there must be no new measles cases within 42 consecutive days, Reyes added.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. The virus is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons.
According to Reyes, the number of cases during the recent morbidity weeks was decreasing. For morbidity week 13 (March 24 to March 30), there were 105 cases. There were 94 during morbidity week 14 (March 31 to April 6) and 30 on morbidity week 15 (April 7 to 13).
The fastest way to eliminate measles is to look after the 97,877 children (from six to 59 months old) who have not been vaccinated against measles, said Reyes.
DOH-6’s 2019 Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activities (MR-SIA) as of April 12 covered 89 percent or 639,587 children out of the 721,990 target.
“Kon makuha pa gid tani naton ini, seguro mas madasig nga mag untat ang kaso. But for as long as susceptible ang mga bata, may posibilidad gid magsige,” Reyes said.
A “mop-up” vaccination would be conducted from April 22 to May 15 to reach the remaining unvaccinated 97,877 children, said Dr. Mary Jane Roches Juanico, DOH-6’s Child Health Program medical coordinator.
Initial measles symptoms, which usually appear between 10 to 12 days after infection, include high fever, a runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. Several days later, a rash develops, starting on the face and upper neck and gradually spreading downwards.
Persons exhibiting symptoms must immediately seek treatment in public health centers or hospitals.
Reyes said DOH-6 will be strengthening its routine measles vaccination program and surveillance, and its school-based immunization program in coordination with the Department of Education.
As of April 17, number of reported measles cases in Western Visayas reached 1,907 of which 83 were confirmed, with seven deaths from Sibalom Antique; Roxas City, Capiz; Bago City, Escalante City, Silay and Sagay City in Negros Occidental; and Calinog, Iloilo.
While global measles deaths have decreased by 84 percent worldwide in recent years — from 550,100 deaths in 2000 to 89,780 in 2016 — the World Health Organization (WHO) said measles is still common in many developing countries, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa.
An estimated seven million people were affected by measles in 2016. The overwhelming majority (more than 95 percent) of measles deaths occur in countries with low per capita incomes and weak health infrastructures, according to WHO./PN
