1 dead, 53 suspected with measles in region

Davao health authorities reported one measles death in the city.
Dr. Anabelle Yumang, Department of Health (DOH) regional director, said the death was recently recorded in Barangay Tibungco, Bunawan District.
The death is among the 54 cases of measles in the city reported since Jan. 1.
Yumang bared the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit’s (RESU) recorded 86 cases in the region, including the 54 cases in the city, from Jan. 1 to Feb. 10.
He said the city recorded the highest number of suspected measles cases in the region.
This is followed by Davao del Sur with 20, Compostela Valley with seven cases, Davao del Norte with five cases, and Davao Oriental with one case. The data for Davao Occidental has still to come in.
However, Yumang noted that the number of cases has actually gone down compared to last year.
“This is 75% lower compared to the same period of last year,” Yumang told reporters during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City on Monday.
The lowered number of cases, according to Yumang, is a result of their effort to conduct a house-to-house immunization.
“Reported measles cases spiked on the first quarter of 2018 that prompted the agency to conduct Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) that year,” Yumang said.
House-to-house immunization of measles containing vaccines (MCV) was conducted in areas where there were reported cases. “This addressed the outbreak last year,” she added.
Yumang vowed that they are at a 95% vaccination coverage target for this year to the eligible children intended for the campaign.
Children aged 6-59 months will be given one dose of MCV and a Vitamin A supplement while another dose will be administered after a month.
The complete dosage of vaccination, according to Yumang, will provide a 90% protection from measles.
The DOH continues to appeal to parents, guardians and caregivers to make sure that children will get the complete dose of MCV to ensure protection from vaccine preventable diseases.