Measles cases up; 10 towns under watch
THE Provincial Health Office (PHO) has urged parents to bring their children to a health center to get measles vaccination after noting the sudden surge of reported measles cases in the province last year.
PHO recorded a 92.3 percent increase in 2013 with 26 cases from only two cases in 2012.
The PHO has placed 10 towns under measles watch list including Rosales, Mabini, San Nicolas, Lingayen, Alaminos City, San Quintin, Bani, Natividad, Mangatarem and Sto. Tomas.
Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman, provincial health officer, said Wednesday that Rosales town had the highest number of cases with 12 from zero in 2012.
Most of the babies who contracted measles had a history of travel to Metro Manila where the Department of Health declared a measles outbreak in some areas.
Rodhalia Binay-an, PHO nurse, said getting vaccinated is the most effective way to protect children from catching the virus.
Measles, which can affect both children and adults, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus.
Symptoms of measles include fever, general discomfort, illness or lack of well-being (malaise), runny nose, dry cough, sore and red eyes (conjunctivitis), red and bluish spots inside the mouth (Koplik’s spots), red and blotchy skin rash that appears first on the face and hairline then spreads to the body.
“Parents are advised to immediately go to the nearest clinic or health center if these symptoms are felt,” said Binay-an during the “Pantongtongan Tayo” radio program of PIA-Pangasinan on Tuesday,
THREE TYPES
The Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, meanwhile, said three types of measles – rubella, rubeola, and reseola – are being monitored.
Rebulla is commonly known as German measles or three-day measles that primarily affects the skin and lymph nodes.
Rubeola or the red measles is the highly contagious respiratory infection that affects human regardless of age and lasts up to two weeks.
Reseola measles is a viral disease in young children below two years old that is likely to develop mild upper respiratory illness followed by a high fever that lasts up to a week.
So far, no death due to measjes has been recorded in Pangasinan. with reports from PIA1- Pangasinan/EBS, Eva Visperas and Johanne R. Macob
DAGUPAN CITY
In Dagupan City, Mayor Belen Fernandez has ordered the City Health Office (CHO) to step up its vaccination drive amid the outbreak of measles in different cities of Metro Manila last week.
City Health Officer Leonard Carbonell, for his part, issued a health advisory and called on parents to immediately bring their children to the nearest barangay health center for vaccination against measles .
The citywide campaign on measles immunization, including the administration of Vitamin A supplementation to nine-month old babies is now ongoing on in all the 31 barangays.
“So far, we do not have a record of patients who have been found positive of the viral disease from among our children,” Carbonell said.
They are, however, keeping watch on two suspected cases in Bonuan Boquig and Caranglaan who are showing symptoms after coming from Manila and Samar two weeks ago.
As a pre-emptive move, the CHO has administered massive immunization targeting those who came in close contact with the two suspected cases, especially those aged 6 months to five year old kids.
Warning that measles is a highly communicable disease, Carbonell noted that the virus is normally spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, and by droplets.
He further warned that once inflicted with measles, the patient is likely to experience complications like diarrhea, otitis media, pneumonia, encephalitis, malnutrition and blindness.
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