BAGUIO CITY – An infant from La Trinidad, Benguet died due to measles in the Cordillera Region.
Geeny Ann Austria, Nurve V of the Department of Health (DOH) – Cordillera said that this is the first case of death due to measles the agency recorded this year.
DOH-Cordillera’s records shows that a total of 513 individuals have contracted measles from January to March 23, 2019.
Austria noted that Baguio City and Benguet Province recorded the highest number of measles case with 208 followed by Apayao with 43, Abra with 21, Ifugao with 16, Mountain Province with 12 and Kalinga with five cases.
She added that from the overall number of children in the Cordillera, 38 percent are vaccinated while 53 percent are to be vaccinated.
She said that surveillance of the disease, public awareness and education campaign about measles continues aside from the on-going house to house immunization in the different parts of the region.
DOH-Cordillera is also asking for the extension of the massive immunization program to prevent measles among the children.
Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family and can be passed through direct contact and through the air and infects the respiratory tract.
Unvaccinated young children remain to be at high risk of the disease and its complications which include severe diarrhea, pneumonia, blindness, and even death.
