Kalibo town placed under state of calamity due to measles cases

Kalibo town in Aklan province in Western Visayas has been placed under a state of calamity due to an outbreak of measles cases there, state-run Philippines News Agency reported Thursday.

 

The PNA report cited Department of Health data showing that of at least 24 measles cases in Western Visayas so far this year, 15 were in Kalibo - mostly in Barangay Andagao.

 

"The declaration is meant to release calamity funds for both the treatment of the victims and prevention of possible increase of cases. It also meant to access free medicines and vaccines from the Department of Health," said Dr. Melanie Tolentino of the Kalibo Rural Health Center.

 

"Once the calamity fund is released and the DOH will provide the free medicines, we will be now campaigning in the households on the possible eradication of measles in Kalibo. Most of the victims were 10 to 15 years of age," she added.

 

Tolentino said a single positive case of measles alone could already serve as a ground for declaration of state of calamity.

 

She said the Kalibo town council members made the declaration to declare Kalibo under a state of calamity through a resolution passed in a special session Wednesday afternoon.

 

On the other hand, the PNA report cited data from the Aklan Provincial Health Office showing there were some 77 "suspected" measles cases since January 2013.

 

It said these cases "are still being studied by the DOH," adding unconfirmed data that two of the 77 suspected cases had died.  — ELR, GMA News