‘ALMOST OVER’ na ang measles outbreak sa bansa, ayon sa health chief.

“It is probably safer to assume that the number of cases is going down and in many areas but we need to validate our figures, many localities have zero new cases” ayon kay Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, sa isang press conference sa pagdiriwang ng World Immunization Week sa Maynila.

Gayunman, sinabi ni Duque na hindi maaaring alisin ng DoH ang outbreak status sa National Capital Region, Central Luzon at Calabarzon kung saan naitala ang pinakamataas na kaso ng tigdas.

“We have to be more prudent in saying that measles outbreaks are over in these regions because we still feel that parents must continue to bring their children to the health centers, so it’s about giving them more opportunity to bring their unvaccinated children for measles vaccines and other vaccines for diphtheria, pneumonia, hepatitis B, tetanus, etc. which are meant to protect the people’s health,” aniya.

Binanggit ni Duque na ang DoH Epidemiology Bureau (EB) ay nakapagtala ng 31,056 measles cases simula Enero 1 hanggang Abril 13 ngayong taon kumpara sa 6,641 kaso sa nasabing panahon noong 2018.

“And that is five times more than the figures in 2018, a number of deaths has reached 415 until week 15 compared to 59 in 2018. With the help of our vaccine heroes we immunized 3.8 million of six to 59 months old children against measles since February this year,” aniya.

Upang maabot sa 95 porsiyentong immunization coverage sa buong bansa, naglunsad din ang DoH ng school-based immunization at immunization para sa mga adults.

“The grade schoolers’ group from Kinder to grade 6 our target is 8 million, as of April 24, we’re done with the eleven percent. When we launched our outbreak response immunization, it was almost the end of the school year, and we’ll restart with our massive immunization two after the schools, classes have fully opened, and for the 12 years old and above our coverage is at 42 percent 2.2 million,” pahayag ni Duque.