DOH declares measles outbreak in Metro Manila

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Wednesday confirmed the measles outbreak in the National Capital Region (NCR) with a notable 550 percent increase in patients contracting the virus from January 1 to February 6 this year compared to the same period in 2018.

According to a report by Mark Makalalad in Super Radyo dzBB, Duque said that a total of 861 suspected measle cases have been reported to the Department of Health as of February 2, 2019.

These cases were rampant in Quezon City, Manila, Caloocan, Marikina, Pasig, Navotas, Paranaque, Taguig, Pasay, and Malabon.

"Itong bagong report na dumating sa atin kaninang tanghali, 'yung January 1 to 19, the first two and a half weeks po ng taon na ito, nakakuha na po tayo ng 196 na cases at noon pong same time last year naka-20 kaso lang po tayo, so talagang malaki ang itinaas," DOH Spokesperson Usec. Eric Domingo said in a separate Super Radyo interview.

Domingo said that the measles immunization coverage had seen a drop in 2018 due to the hesitancy of some parents to avail of the vaccination program following the Dengvaxia controversy.

House-to-house vaccination programs against measles have been launched, he added.

"Hindi pa naman po too late, pwede pa po nating protektahan. Sa ngayon po ang mga bata as young as six months old hanggang five years old basta dalhin lang po [sa health centers], babakunahan natin," Domingo said. —Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News