WHO Says Philippines Now The 3rd Highest In Measles
PHILIPPINES – The World Health Organization (WHO) states that Philippines is now the third highest in numbers of cases in measles.
According to Inquirer, infants and toddlers are heavily affected by the spread of false information on vaccines followed by the controversy about Dengvaxia as the number of cases in measles tripled and there is a large increase of deaths from the disease, which should have been prevented, over the past seven months.
Based on the reports from Department of Health (DOH) states that 80% of deathes due to measles in the first half of the year were kids aged 1 to 4 and infants below 9 months.
Calabarzon have the highest occurrence among the 17 regions as of July 13 at about 7,213 cases, with fatalities up to 123 compared to last year’s 632 cases with fatalities at about 6.
Here are the following regions with the higher occurrence of measles aside from Calabarzon:
- Metro Manila (6,969 cases and 114 deaths
- Central Luzon (6,350 cases and 115 deaths)
- Western Visayas (2,379 cases and eight deaths)
- Northern Mindanao (2,118 cases and 16 deaths)
As per the report, WHO said that the nation ranked third highest number of measles cases in the world with up to 45,847 cases. Madagascar ranked the 1st highest with up to 150, 000 cases of measles and Ukraine ranked second with up to 84, 300 cases.
WHO also said that this is by far the highest ever since 2006, stressing health care systems and leading to illnesses, disability, and deaths. They also noted that a major outbreaks are occurring in the nation, as well as Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, and Thailand.
WHO also said that among the reasons for low vaccination are the“lack of access to quality health care or vaccination services, false information about vaccines and the low awareness about the need to vaccinate. Vaccination in a community should be at about 95%, the organization added.
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