DOH to probe origins of measles strain

Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag: House-to-house vaccination. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health (DOH) is looking into the measles outbreak in many parts of the country to determine if it was caused by a strain from abroad.

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

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 14 last year, 1,724 confirmed measles cases were recorded nationwide, 21 of which led to death, according to the DOH.

Tayag said the health department will conduct a nationwide house-to-house vaccination of children under 5 to prevent the disease from spreading.

He said antimeasles shots will be given during the summer break to 12 million children.

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

The National Capital Region had the most number of cases with 744.

A measles outbreak has been declared in some barangays (villages) in the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Taguig and Valenzuela.

As this developed, Tayag appealed to parents to have their children vaccinated against measles.

He noted that measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which can be fatal.—Tina G. Santos