The number of children in the Philippines susceptible to measles is around 3 million, Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Vergeire also disclosed a possible outbreak of measles next year following a meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
“Kaya po nagfa-flag at nagwa-warn po ang WHO at UNICEF sa atin na kailangan nating paigtingin ang routine immunization [That is why the WHO and UNICEF are flagging and giving us warning that we need to intensify routine immunization] because there might be an impending outbreak of measles in the country by next year if we are not going to do anything,” Vergeire said.
She said that the current rate of fully immunized children is only 62.9 percent. The target is 95 percent.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus.
Outbreak
There is no specific treatment for measles.
The only reliable protection from measles is vaccination.
The DOH reiterated the warning against an impending outbreak next year due the low complete immunization coverage among Filipino children.
With this, the DOH is determined to strengthen routine immunization in the country.
WHO and UNICEF support the DOH in vaccine procurement and delivery, development of immunization guidelines and communication materials, and building the capacity of DOH staff nationwide to plan and ensure that all eligible children are protected through safe and effective vaccines for measles, rubella and polio.
“‘Yung measles vaccine, ito po ‘yung pinakahuli na antigen or ‘yung bakuna na binibigay sa mga bata para masabi nating fully immunized child siya [The measles vaccine is the last antigen or vaccine that we give to say that the child is fully immunized],” Vergeire said in a press briefing on October 4.
Measles is transferred from person-to-person by sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact.
Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes/conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than three days.
The disease’s complications included diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia (infection of the lungs), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), malnutrition, blindness which may lead to death.
Measles and rubella cases
According to the National Measles and Rubella Data of the DOH as of September 17, 2022 (MW37), there were 450 measles and rubella cases reported.
Cumulatively, the number of cases this year is 153 percent higher compared to the 178 cases reported during the same period in 2021.
Most MR cases were from Region IV-A with 70 cases (16 percent); Region VII with 61 cases (14 percent) and NCR with 47 (10 percent).
From August 21 to September 17, 2022, 68 cases were recorded. The regions with the highest number of cases were Region IV-A with 16 cases (24 percent); Region VIII with 12 (18 percent); Region VII with seven cases (10 percent); Region X: with seven (10 percent) and NCR with seven (10 percent).
Regions IV-A, VIII, IX, X and XII showed case increases during the same period.
For the recent four morbidity weeks (August 21 to September 17, 2022), five out of 17 regions, Regions II, IV-A, V, VII, and NCR, surpassed the measles epidemic threshold levels.
Measles clusters were reported in Region I (Brgy. Caranglaan, Dagupan City, Pangasinan) and Region IX (Brgy. Balangasan, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur).
Nationally, 36 cases were classified as laboratory confirmed measles, while 37 cases were classified as laboratory confirmed rubella.
Likewise, nationally, two deaths were reported among MR cases from MWs 1-37.
These deaths were reported in August and September.