Tag: measles outbreak

Unvaccinated students in West Visayas to get measles shots

BACOLOD CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd) 6 (Western Visayas) has announced the conduct of a school-based measles immunization for unvaccinated Grades 1 and 7 students across the region from February until the end of March.

Victor de Gracia Jr., officer-in-charge of the Office of the Assistant Regional Director, said in a memorandum dated February 12 addressed to all school division superintendent that there is an urgent need to reach unimmunized learners in all schools due to the recent measles outbreak in the region.

The DepEd Division of Negros Occidental posted a copy of Regional Memorandum No. 050, series of 2019, on its Facebook page on Wednesday night.

De Gracia said the measles vaccination and Vitamin A supplementation program will be conducted in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) 6 during the period.

“Immediate parental consent shall be secured for identified unimmunized learners,” he added.

De Gracia also directed all doctors, nurses and staff of the Health and Nutrition Units to take the lead in the prompt implementation of the program in their respective divisions.

For the current school year, DOH-6’s free school-based health services aim to reach 123,771 Grade 1 pupils and 155,314 Grade 7 students in Western Visayas for immunization against measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria.

From January to February 12, DOH-6 has recorded 359 suspected measles cases in Western Visayas, 144 of which were from Negros Occidental.

Measles is a contagious viral illness characterized by fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. This could be transmitted through the air, droplets, or direct contact with nasal and throat secretions of infected persons. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1061896

Measles cases in NegOcc still ‘manageable’: PHO

BACOLOD CITY — Measles cases in Negros Occidental are still manageable amid the reported outbreak of the infectious disease in Western Visayas, an official of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) said Friday, February 8.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang said the provincial government has strengthened its immunization program to address the cases, which significantly increased in the past year.

“We have positive cases. Our measles cases increased, not only in Bacolod City, not only in Negros Occidental but all the Visayas areas,” he said in a radio interview.

In 2018, measles cases in Negros Occidental rose to 103, or by 3,333 percent, from only three in 2017.

Tumimbang said the PHO continues to conduct a supplemental immunization activity.

“We hold door-to-door immunization. We don’t just wait for our clients in the rural health unit or barangay health station. We locate those children who have not been immunized to cover the 95 percent target,” he added.

On Thursday, the Department of Health’s Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) 6 (Western Visayas) reported 166 suspected measles cases with three deaths from January 1 to 26 this year.

Dr. Mary Jane Juanico, medical coordinator for child health program of DOH-CHD 6, said that in the previous year, the CHD-6 has recorded 245 confirmed measles cases from out of the 1,052 suspected cases in Western Visayas. Four suspected deaths are all waiting to be confirmed.

Of the 245 confirmed cases, 94 were from Negros Occidental and 63 from Bacolod City and 32 from Iloilo province.
Juanico noted the low turnout of the measles immunization coverage for children less than a year old.

Partial report of CHD-6’s immunization coverage showed that only 61 percent of babies, who were supposed to have their first dose at nine months old, had been vaccinated.

In terms of all immunizations for babies less than a year old, the CHD also achieved a 61 percent rate. Both turnouts are lower compared to the 67 percent coverage in 2017. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1061393