Over 300 measles patients being treated at San Lazaro Hospital; 3 more deaths reported

Three patients died of measles on Wednesday as 60 more were admitted to the San Lazaro Hospital, according to a report from Mariz Umali on "24 Oras."

"May complications na po ng dinala sa amin so grabe na po ang condition nila," said San Lazaro spokesperson Dr. Ferdinand De Guzman.

He said pneumonia is the "number one killer" among complications which can develop among measles patients and advised that patients should be immediately brought to the nearest hospital.

The hospital is currently treating a total of 313 patients following the outbreak of measles.

"Parang nagpa-plateau tayo. We are steady at the 300 level but of course we are hoping that in the days to come medyo bababa na po ito," De Guzman said.

The Philippine Red Cross put up tents as a makeshift medical facility in order to help decongest the wards for measles patients.

Measles patients with no complications were isolated in these tents to prevent them from contracting other diseases from the hospital.

Meanwhile, a tent from the Department of Health cares for patients with improving conditions.

The Red Cross and DOH gathered barangay captains in Metro Manila, considered as the "ground zero" of the outbreak, to help expand their reach for community-based vaccination against measles.

"There is a concern but it's not a national emergency. And if they need it kung kailangan nila andun tayo,"  Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Red Cross, said. —Marisse Panaligan/ LDF, GMA News