More than 18,000 measles cases have been documented across the country, the Department of Health reported yesterday.
The DoH said that there are now 18,553 measles cases reported nationwide with 286 deaths from Jan. 1 to March 7, 2019.
During the same period last year, there were only 3,829 cases, with 39 deaths.
The most affected age group remains to be one- to four-years- old, the Health department noted.
Region 4-A had the most number of measles cases with 4,087; followed by the National Capital Region with 3,850; and Central Luzon with 2,840.
Most of the deaths were recorded in NCR with 82 deaths; followed by Region 4-A; and Central Luzon with 43.
The DoH declared a measles outbreak last February in NCR and has been widened to Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas. (Analou de Vera)