DOH checking for new virus strain in measles outbreak

Children inflicted with measles queue up at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. The Department of Health declared Measles Outbreak with the increasing number of measles patients. PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health is studying if the measles outbreak in many parts of the country is due to a new strain from abroad.

“A virus has different strains. Depending on the strain, we will know if it’s a virus that originated from the Philippines or virus that came from abroad. We’re checking it,” Health Assistant Secretary and National Epidemiology Center director Dr. Eric Tayag said in a press briefing.

The DOH reported that from January 1 to Dec. 14, 2013, there were already 1,724 confirmed measles cases nationwide, 21 of which were fatal.

Tayag said the health department would conduct a nationwide house-to-house vaccination of children below 5 years old to prevent the disease from further spreading.

He said 11.7 million to 12 million children would be given anti-measles shots during the summer break.

Tayag added that among the 17 regions in the country, only four did not report an increase in the number of measles cases. These are Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and the Caraga region in Mindanao.

The National Capital Region had the most cases with 744.

Measles outbreaks have been declared in some villages (barangay) in the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Taguig, and Valenzuela.

The DOH appealed to parents to have their children vaccinated against measles.

He urged parents to bring their children, especially those between the ages of 6 to 18 months, to health centers for free vaccination.

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