Children inflicted with measles queue up at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The regional Department of Health has reported a marked increase in the incidence of measles among children in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, with about a dozen fatalities in a span of five months.
Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, Jr., ARMM health secretary, said here on Monday that despite the regional government’s immunization drive, the ailment continued to spread from January to May, noting an 18 percent increase in the number of cases compared to the same period last year.
He said Maguindanao had the highest incidence with 247 recorded patients, followed by Lanao del Sur, with 139 to include its component city of Marawi City that had 86 cases, and Sulu with 90.
Sinolinding said many of the afflicted were children up to 12 years old.
“This is contagious and prevalent among children in poor communities with dirty surroundings,” said Sinolinding of the disease that often shows symptoms of fever lasting four to five days, colds, cough, and redness of eyes.
The ARMM health chief underscored the importance of hygiene, sanitation and healthy lifestyle.
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