Philippine parents and guardians urged to bring their children aged six to 59 months to health centers for free measles vaccination. (Source: philstar.com) Hanoi (VNA) – More Philippine children are contracting measles,while the disease has yet to be put under control, according to the country’sDepartment of Health (DOH).
Latest data from the DOHshowed that as of February 16, 8,443 cases of measles and 136 deaths had beenreported since the country declared a measles outbreak on February 6.
The figuresrepresented year-on-year rises of 253 percent in the number of cases and 491percent in the death toll.
Most of the casesrecorded this year are children below four years old, and half of the cases andnearly 60 percent of the deaths are in Metro Manila and Calabarzon region.
The DOH on February 6declared a major measles outbreak in Metro Manila, and later expanded to otherareas of the Philippine main Luzon island and Central and Eastern Visayas inthe central Philippines.
According to PhilippineHealth Secretary Francisco Duque, cases will continue to rise as the outbreak hasyet to be under control.
The DOH is workingwith government agencies in responding to the outbreak and conducting anationwide immunization campaign.
Measles is a highlycontagious viral disease that is transmitted via droplets from nose, mouth orthroat of infected persons.-VNA
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