Bicol measles cases rise; 35 C. Luzon areas watched

Government doctors in the Bicol region have reported a surge in measles cases, following the treatment of 14 patients who showed symptoms of the disease in the first week of January.

Gloria Balboa, Bicol director of the Department of Health (DOH), said 12 suspected cases of measles were reported in Albay province while two cases were recorded in Sorsogon province.

Balboa said laboratory tests have yet to determine if the patients  are afflicted with measles, a highly communicable disease that strikes mostly infants and children. She said the tests would help DOH determine whether it would declare a measles outbreak in Bicol.

In 2013, DOH recorded 140 suspected measles cases in Bicol, 18 of which were confirmed by laboratory tests, according to DOH records.

Last year’s validated measles cases were recorded in Camalig and Daraga towns and Legazpi City in Albay; Castilla and Pilar towns in Sorsogon; Caramoan, Magarao and Pili towns in Camarines Sur; and Palanas town in Masbate.

In Central Luzon, government doctors have not recorded any measles fatality since last year but the DOH started 2014 with renewed vigilance as it put 35 towns and cities in the region on alert against the disease.

High risk

The 35 areas were being monitored after 62 measles cases were recorded there between Nov. 24 and Dec. 31 last year, a DOH report showed.

“Although only one to two cases may take place in a certain locality, we consider this already at high risk because measles is easily transmitted,” Dr. Leonita Gorgolon, DOH regional director, said in a press briefing on Thursday.

Under close watch are three areas in Bataan province, eight each in Bulacan and Tarlac provinces, two in Nueva Ecija province, 10 in Pampanga province and four in Zambales province, a DOH report showed.

It said the DOH confirmed 110 of 432 suspected cases in 2013.

The low coverage of the measles vaccination program in the region in 2012 up to the third quarter of 2013 prompted the DOH to step up its “every purok (community) strategy” in August, said Dr. Leilani Mangulabnan, DOH regional program head.

Children nine to 12 months old receive two free doses of the government-sponsored vaccine. Of about 1.5 million children under five years old in Central Luzon, 25 percent or 375,000 are targeted for measles vaccination.

Health officials advised parents to immediately bring their children to hospitals when they show symptoms of measles like rashes, fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. Mar S. Arguelles, Inquirer Southern Luzon, and Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon