Measles cases nationwide have reached 13,723, including 215 deaths, as of Feb. 26, the Department of Health said yesterday.
Region 4-A or the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon area has the most number of cases with 3,234; followed by the National Capital Region with 3,068; Central Luzon with 2,010; Northern Mindanao with 679; and Western Visayas with 671.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III reminded parents anew to bring their children to health centers and have them vaccinated against measles.
Duque said that parents have started flocking to health centers as they now realize the importance of vaccination.
The Health department said that the measles outbreak might be declared under control sometime between April and May.
“Ang sinasabi ko nga, dapat ang mga magulang patuloy na pumunta sa kanilang health centers at magpabakuna ng kanilang mga anak,” said Duque.
Measles outbreaks have been declared in the NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones has disclosed that the DoH is suggesting that vaccination be mandatory in public schools by implementing a “no vaccination, no enrollment” policy amid the increasing number of measles cases.
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines has urged the Health and Education departments to study first the possible effects and consequences of the proposed policy.
“I think this has to be thought through. It is easy to say yes to that proposal. But, of course, we know that for every rule that is implemented you have to think through the consequences very well,” said PIDSP president Dr. Anna Lisa Ong-Lim. (Analou de Vera)
