(Eagle News) — The Department of Health (DOH) declared a measles outbreak in some parts of Cagayan Valley or Region 2 after a 500% spike in cases in February this year compared to February last year.
As of February 17, 2019, Cagayan province has the highest record at 34 cases followed by Isabela at 24, Nueva Vizcaya at 11 and Quirino at 4, according to Dr. Rio L. Magpantay, DOH regional director.
Of the 66 cases consolidated by the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, there were no reported deaths associated with measles.
A Philippine Information Agency report quoting Magpantay said that based on their recommendation to the Secretary of Health, a declaration of an outbreak now awaits the municipalities of Aparri, Baggao, Iguig, Lallo, Tuao, and Tuguegarao City in Cagayan; Cabagan, Delfin Albano, Maconacon, Palanan, San Mariano, San Pablo and the City of Ilagan in Isabela; Bayombong, Quezon, Solano and Villaverde in Nueva Vizcaya; Diffun and Maddela in Quirino.
“It is in the hope of the department that through the declaration, Local Government Units will effectively fulfill their role in addressing the imminent threat that the outbreak looms over their domain and take this opportunity to strengthen their service delivery in close coordination with the Department of Health,” the regional director said.
Magpantay said teams of vaccinators and technical personnel to monitor and focus on the growing number of people affected by the disease, had already been deployed to stem the measles spike.
The Incident Command System (ICS) was also activated to immediately respond to other reports of probable cases that may be identified in all parts of the region.
“Our priority now is to reach all children aged 6-59 months and convince their parents or caregivers to have them vaccinated at the nearest health centers,” he said,
The DOH director stressed that vaccination is still the top and most effective means of protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.
“Now, it has made its way to our lands, it is now our duty to protect our people to the best of our ability,” he told media practitioners in a recent press conference conducted at the DOH regional office here.
The DOH had earlier raised the red flag for measles in other regions of Luzon, Central and Eastern Visayas aside from the earlier measles outbreak declaration in the National Capital Region.
According to the World Health Organization, measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus.
“Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every 2–3 years and measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year,” WHO said.
“Approximately 110,000 people died from measles in 2017 – mostly children under the age of 5 years, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine.”
