Bulacan on alert for more measles cases

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines   â€“ The provincial government of Bulacan is on alert after the number of patients suspected to be afflicted with measles continue to rise.

Records released by the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) showed the cases climbed to 115 on the first 16 days of January.

The figure was higher than the 90 suspected cases reported a day before.

PESU reported that two victims died due to complications brought about by the disease.

One of the fatalities was a two-year-old-boy from San Miguel town. The other was a six month-old baby girl from Marilao died due to severe pneumonia.

As this developed, PESU said that none of the cases were confirmed yet.

It said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) would be the one to confirm the cases. 

“The province is now in the state of alert due to a 30 percent increase in the suspected cases, and a mortality rate of 1.7 percent,” the PESU advisory stated.

The state of alert, PESU said, signifies a stringent implementation of control measure.

Jocelyn Gomez, head of the Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), said they have intensified the surveillance of the cases.

Last week, the provincial government issued health advisory to city and municipal mayors, along with a memorandum to private and government hospitals.

City and municipal officials, as well as health professionals were ordered to intensify the immunization drive for children under five years old.

They were ordered to conduct an information drive on how to avoid and fight measles.

Records from the PESU showed that among the patients suspected to be afflicted with measles were aged two to 37 years old.