Bulacan execs call for emergency meet as 6 die from measles

CITY OF MALOLOS — Bulacan officials on Tuesday called for an emergency meeting as the death toll from measles reached six in the province since January.

Joy Gomez, Bulacan public health officer, said the six fatalities were all children aged 21 months to four years old.

She said the deaths were recorded in Paombong, Bocaue, City of Meycauayan, Sta. Maria, Baliwag and City of San Jose Del Monte.

Gomez said 286 measles cases were recorded in the province.

“The death ratio is 2 per 100 cases. We saw a 3,985-percent increase since only seven cases were recorded in the whole of 2018,” Gomez said.

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, who led the meeting, said he had issued a memorandum directing all Bulacan mayors to help in the “Ligtas Tigdas” campaign.

Alvarado also said all barangay leaders and health workers should conduct a house-to-house visit to encourage parents to have their children immunized with the anti-measles vaccine. Carmela Reyes-Estrope/lzb