Measles Outbreak Over NCR & Central Luzon Declared by DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) declared a measles outbreak over the National Capital Region (NCR) and Central Luzon due to increasing number of victims.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III declared the outbreak due to the increasing cases of measles over the past few weeks.

Duque said that DOH is calling the parents to bring their children to health centers for anti-measles vaccination to prevent the spread of the disease.

“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 secretary explained that measles could cause further complications such as bronchopneumonia, so parents should not wait for complications.

Since the start of 2019, San Lazaro Hospital in Manila recorded a total of 55 deaths due to measles most of them are children between 3 months and 4 years old.

The hospital has admitted around 1,504 patients for measles wherein 1,355 of them were children and teenagers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned the public that the country would be in danger of diseases such as polio, pertussis and diphtheria, if the low immunization rate was not addressed.

DOH also placed Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Caraga under tight watch.

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