5 Zamboanga kids die of measles amid outbreak

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Five children, three of them below the vaccination age of 9 months to 5 years old, had died of measles here since the city government declared an outbreak in late February.

Ivy Iturralde, City Health Office (CHO) epidemiologist, said two of the five fatalities were also not given measles vaccines because their parents refused to submit them for immunization.

A list released by the CHO showed that cases of suspected measles were prevalent in Barangay Sangali, with 39 patients; Calarian, 25; Mercedes, 18 ; Sta. Catalina, 15; and Arena Blanco, 12.

Iturralde said the city had recorded 331 cases of suspected measles from January to March 28.

She said cases were on the decline, following a vaccination drive by the CHO.

City health records showed that only 74,462 or 66 percent of children targeted for immunization had been given antimeasles shots from Feb. 19 to March 28 because parents were reluctant to have their children vaccinated. —Julie Alipala