Measles afflict 88 children
SO FAR NO OUTBREAK
LINGAYEN–The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has reported 88 cases of suspected measles and two cases confirmed since January to February 4 but there is no reported epidemic in any town.
Dr. Anna de Guzman, provincial health officer, said the two confirmed cases were in Mangaldan and San Fabian towns and presently confined in hospitals.
Compared to the same period last year, there were 112 suspected measles cases and one confirmed case in Dagupan City, she said.
Most affected age group is under one year old with 21 cases.
She clarified that those with suspected measles cases had shown symptoms of the disease like fever, coughs and colds and a blood sample was taken randomly and submitted to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for laboratory confirmation.
“This is to confirm if these are really measles or are only cases trying to mimic measles like allergic reaction that shows rashes,” she said.
De Guzman said they noted that the higher incidence of measles in the province after the Dengvaxia scare hit the media.
“That’s why we continue to convince mothers to have their children vaccinated,” she said.
She attributed the rise of suspected and confirmed cases of measles to refusal of parents to risk the vaccination after alleged negative effects of the anti-dengue vaccine in 2017 were reported by the Public Attorney’s Office.
She said the challenge faced by health workers in their health education and awareness in communities is to cite the difference of the anti-dengue vaccine from the traditional or conventional vaccines like measles, tuberculosis, hepatitis, chicken pox, German measles, flu and mumps.
De Guzman said compared to their 2016 record about coverage of children with vaccination, the number dropped to 75 percent in 2018.
“Many really refused to have their children vaccinated,” she said.
De Guzman said, there is usually a high incidence of measles during the first quarter of every year because of the cold weather and a high viral infection exists. (PhilStar Wire Service)
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