‘Measles alarming’ Cases up by 3,333% in January

The Visayan Daily Star | February 10, 2018

Measles cases in Negros Occidental increased by an alarming 3,333 percent in January this year
compared to the same period last year, triggered by the Dengvaxia controversy that has scared parents
off from having their children vaccinated, Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang said yesterday.

The Department of Health ha sdeclared a measles outbreak in Western Visayas, that includes Negros
Occidental and Bacolod City, along with other areas in the Visayas and Luzon.

"We are expanding the outbreak from Metro Manila to other regions as cases have increased in the past
weeks, and to strengthen surveillance if there are new cases and alert mothers and caregivers to be
more vigilant," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said.

Measles cases in Negros Occidental from January 1 to 26 this year were 103 compared to 3 in the same
period last year, Tumimbang said.

Of the 103 reported measles cases in January this year,Calatrava, Murcia and Sagay City had the highest
number at 9 each, followed by Himamaylan City with 8, San Carlos City – 7, Silay City – 7,Hinigaran - 6,
Toboso - 6, Kabankalan City - 5, Salvador Benedicto – 5, Talisay City – 5, Victorias City -4, Cauayan – 3,
Escalante City – 3, Isabela – 3, Pontevedra – 3, Bago City – 2, E.B Magalona – 2, Moises Padilla - 2,
Pulupandan - 2, Cadiz City – 1, La Castellana -1 and San Enrique – 1.

Negros Occidental had the most number of measles cases in Western Visayas last month.

Tumimbang said the surge in measles cases began in August last year from relatively low numbers in the
first half of 2018.

There were 370 measles cases in Negros Occidental in 2018 or a 1,380 percent increase from the 25
cases in 2017, he said.

In 2018 the measles cases from January 1 to 31 were 4, February – 3, March – 12, April – 12, May – 9,
June – 4, July – 3, August – 20, September - 43, October - 87, November - 100, and December - 76,
Tumimbang said.

San Carlos City had the most number of reported measles cases in 2018 at 47, Kabankalan City - 41,
Bago City – 30, Talisay City - 20, La Carlota City – 20, Isabela -19, Salvador Benedicto -18, E.B Magalona –
17, Murcia – 17, Hinigaran - 16, Silay City - 16, Calatrava - 15, Himamaylan City -13,Victorias City - 10,
Escalante City – 8, Binalbagan -7, Cauayan - 6, La Castellana – 6, Pulupandan – 6, Valladolid – 5, Sagay
City – 5, Hinobaan – 5, Pontevedra – 5, Cadiz City -4, Manapla – 3, San Enrique – 3, Candoni -2, Moises
Padilla -2, Sipalay City -2, and Toboso – 2.

The PHO report said the highest number of cases in 2018 were from the adults or the above 19 years old
age group, and most were unvaccinated.

Tumimbang called on mothers not to be afraid to have their children vaccinated for measles because of
the Dengvaxia controversy. He also called on health workers and teachers to help explain the
importance of having children protected from measleswhich can be deadly, by subjecting them to
vaccination.

In 2018 there were three reported deaths from measles in Negros Occidental in San Carlos City, Bago
City and Binalbagan,Tumimbang said

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is transferred from person-to-
person by sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact. Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny
nose, red eyes/conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than 3 days, a Department of Health
advisory said.

The complications of the diseaseinclude diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia (infection of the
lungs), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), malnutrition, and blindness which may lead to death, it said.

“Supportive measures like building the nutritional status of the sick person and increasing oral
rehydration are important measures to increase body resistance and replace lost body fluids caused by
coughing, diarrhea, and perspiration,” Duque said, adding that immunization and vitamin A
supplementation of nine-month old children and unvaccinated individuals are the best defenses against
measles.
The DOH is advising parents to bring their children at the first sign of fever to the nearest health facility
for prompt treatment and proper case management.

More than 70 deaths nationwide linked to measles outbreak

CNN Philippines | February 8, 2019

More than 70 people have died this year due to measles after the Health Department declared an
outbreak of the highly contagious disease in different regions.

Department of Health (DOH) Spokesperson Enrique Domingo reported around 72 deaths among more
than 2,000 cases of measles nationwide. Fifty five of the deaths were from San Lazaro Hospital, Manila
in January alone.

"All over the country I think we have more than 2,000 cases and we've had deaths, in San Lazaro alone
we have 55 deaths in January," Domingo told CNN Philippines' New Day.

However, as of Friday, the death toll in San Lazaro Hospital climbed to 60 due to the outbreak, the
hospital's spokesperson said.

In CALABARZON, Domingo reported nine deaths, while in Region III there were four deaths from
measles. The DOH also recorded three deaths in Region VI (Western Visayas) and one death in Region
VII (Central Visayas), Domingo said.

Meanwhile, an initial report from the Health Department also recorded two deaths in Ilocos Region and
one death in Bicol Region from January 1 to January 26, 2019.

This comes after the DOH declared a measles outbreak in Metro Manila and Central Luzon on
Wednesday and in CALABARZON, Western and Central Visayas on Thursday.

Health officials attributed the rising number of measles cases to a long-term decline in vaccination
coverage. According to DOH records, 960,457 children have not been vaccinated for the first three
quarters of 2018, a spike from its 2017 figure of 855,039.

On the other hand, the World Health Organization (WHO) said there are about 2.5 million children
below five years of age in the Philippines who are susceptible to measles due to lack of appropriate
vaccination.

WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Gundo Weiler said the outbreak did not come as a surprise to
them given the low coverage of the country’s immunization program.

“We are not very surprised about this. This is a situation that could have been predicted. It’s against the
background of low immunization coverage we have seen here in the country over the last years,” Weiler
said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

He explained that a country must achieve a 95% coverage for its immunization program to ensure that
communities will be protected from the disease. However, in the last few years the Philippines has
maintained only 70 to 80% coverage and this dropped even further to close to 60% in 2018.

This has lead to a periodic pattern of measles outbreaks every three to four years, Weiler added. A
measles outbreak was declared in 2011, 2014 and 2018 before this year's upsurge.

"What is happening now is we have a big campaign with a lot of investment to catch up with
immunization. After that big campaign, we'll be quiet for a few years but as long as we don't strengthen
routine immunization, again we'll fall back into the same pattern," Weiler said.

The DOH explained that children can receive vaccines as young as six months old if their mothers have
not been vaccinated. If the mother has been vaccinated, the child can receive the vaccine at nine
months old.

"It's safe. Usually we give that nine months old because assuming that the mother is vaccinated or has
measles antibodies and at birth during breastfeeding they can give the antibodies to the children, which
usually protects them until nine months old," Domingo said.

The health department spokesman assured that the government has ample supplies of vaccines to
provide for vulnerable communities.
"We have enough supplies because every year the Philippines buys enough vaccines to cover the whole
vulnerable population and this year we ordered extra doses from UNICEF (United National International
Emergency Fund)," he said.

He added that they are also coordinating with the Philippine Red Cross to set up temporary tents,
specifically in San Lazaro Hospital, to admit more patients.

Año: Dengvaxia scare caused measles outbreaks in PH

Rappler.com | February 07, 2019

The vaccination scare brought by the Dengvaxia controversy led to the measles outbreaks in Luzon and
the Visayas, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said on
Thursday, February 7.

Año said this conclusion was reached during the Cabinet meeting the day before.

"Pinag-usapan 'yan sa Cabinet. Ang reason kung bakit nagkaroon ng measles breakout, because of the
issue on Dengvaxia. Natakot magpa-immunize ang mga magulang [ng] mga anak nila," Año said on the
sidelines of the National Federalism Summit at the Manila Hotel.

This comes after the Department of Health (DOH) announced measles outbreaks in Metro Manila and
other parts of Luzon as well as the Visayas.

In late 2017, the government suspended its dengue immunization program after Dengvaxia
manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur said that the vaccine poses more risks to people who had not been
infected by the virus before immunization.

The mess triggered investigations in the Senate and the House of Representatives, with lawmakers
recommending charges against former president Benigno Aquino III, ex-health secretary Janette Garin,
ex-budget secretary Florencio Abad, and several others.

Multiple reports of children's deaths were also linked to the vaccine, despite the lack of solid evidence.

"Ang nangyari ngayon, way below 'yung ating statistics sa immunization compared to previous years,"
Año said.

In an earlier interview with reporters, DILG spokesman Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said they
are already on standby to aid the DOH in intensifying its measles vaccination campaign.

DOH mulls mandatory immunization for children

ABS-CBN News | February 9, 2019

The Department of Health (DOH) is considering the possibility of making immunization mandatory for all
children following the declaration of a measles outbreak in several areas in the Philippines.

"Pinag-aaralan na natin ang ibang mga bansa na kung saan mayroong mandatory immunization na ang
mga magulang dapat dalhin talaga nila ang mga anak nila sa mga health centers," Health Secretary
Francisco Duque III told "Bandila sa DZMM."

He said there is an existing executive order signed in 2007 by former President and now House Speaker
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which requires complete vaccination of children before entering preschool
and primary school.

"Ang problema walang sanction. Sinabi lang na it will ensure, pero wala namang nakalagay na kapag ka
hindi dinala ng magulang ay may karampatang penalties o kaparusahan," Duque said.

The health chief made the rounds Friday in some hospitals in Metro Manila to check on the patients.

Asked why some parents refused their children to be vaccinated, Duque said parents cited the scrapped
anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia as the major reason.

Last year, the government recalled the anti-dengue vaccine after its manufacturer, France's Sanofi-
Pasteur, said it could cause severe symptoms if given to those who have not had the mosquito-borne
disease.
"Ang madalas sabihin nila ay 'yun na nga natakot sila dahil nga doon sa nangyari sa Dengvaxia. Nalito sila
na ang Dengvaxia ay ibang klaseng bakuna 'yan," he said.

He added, "Hindi nila naintindihan na ang Dengvaxia, ibang isyu 'yan. Hindi 'yan dapat nakaapekto,
madungisan ating immunization program dahil lang sa isang kontrobersiya dulot ng Dengvaxia."

After immunization coverage fell, some 90 percent of those infected with measles nationwide are
unvaccinated, DOH had said.

Measles outbreak have been declared in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon,
Western Visayas, and Central Visayas.

Measles, locally known as "tigdas," can be passed through direct contact and through the air. Its
symptoms include fever, dry cough, and runny nose.

During the interview, Duque said he will coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) over a
report that an Australian got infected by measles after visiting the Philippines.

"Para mas malinaw kung paano nangyari ang hawaan at kung saan sa Pilipinas nanggaling," he said.

The incident prompted the health department in Western Australia to issue a measles warning.

"Subject to validation and verification itong mga findings na ito," Duque said.