DOH: Batanes is only measles-free province

MANILA, Philippines — Aside from breath-taking views and fresh air, what else is good about Batanes province? 

According to Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo, Batanes is the only province in the country still free from measles, which has infected 16,349 people as of March 2.

“Batanes is isolated and there is also less traffic there so it remains free from measles. We hope they can maintain that,” Domingo said.

He said the DOH and local government units have scaled up vaccination of eligible children in Batanes to keep measles at bay.

DOH data show the 16,349 cases recorded from Jan. 1 to March 2 included 261 deaths. There were 3,374 cases documented during the same period in 2017, with no deaths.

The DOH hopes to control the measles outbreak by April or May. It has started door-to-door supplemental immunization and intensified routine vaccination at health centers.

Domingo noted that the last provinces that reported measles cases are Catanduanes and Tawi-Tawi, which are both island provinces.

Data revealed that Catanduanes has one measles case while Tawi-Tawi recorded 11 cases.

It also showed that Calabarzon, National Capital Region and Central Luzon – the three regions where measles outbreaks were declared – still account for most of the cases at 3,875; 3,617 and 2,330, respectively.

Domingo added as of March 6, the DOH was already able to vaccinate almost half of the targeted 3,783,985 children aged six to 59 months.

“Our coverage has already reached 45 percent. We are hopeful that we can vaccinate all of the target children soon,” he maintained.

The goal is to cover 95 percent of the target to create “herd immunity,” a condition wherein even those unvaccinated are protected against measles.

Domingo has reiterated calls for all parents and caregivers to submit their eligible children for vaccination.

He underscored the need for children below six months or not yet eligible for vaccination to be kept away from crowded places to keep them from getting infected.