WHO: Other nations dealing with measles cases, too

MANILA, Philippines - As the country is grappling to eliminate measles, the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday said the measles problem is not confined in the Philippines.

Julie Hall, WHO representative in the Philippines, said that while many countries were able to eliminate the disease as a public health threat, “there are also quite a number of countries that still see measles cases due to migration.”

“We are seeing a lot of people move from one country to another within the Western Pacific region,” she said.

“Vietnam is about to do a countrywide measles campaign to drive down measles. Hopefully they will be successful in that. Papua New Guinea has continuing cases of measles. They are still trying to make sure that all children are protected,” she said.

Hall noted that measles outbreaks have been declared in Australia and New Zealand.

“Even well-developed countries do find measles an infectious disease. So we really need protection to make sure they are protected against measles,” she added.

The expert, however, assured the public that there is no new strain of the measles virus.

“No, it’s not a new virus. What we are seeing in the Philippines is the measles virus we have seen many, many times,” she said.

But the WHO official could not say what triggered the surge of measles cases in the Philippines. 

She also refused to associate climate change to measles.