DOH records 204 measles cases in Region 12

KIDAPAWAN CITY – The Department of Health in Region 12 (DOH-12) has recorded 204 measles cases and one mortality from January until Feb. 13 this year.

Jenny Panizales Ventura, DOH-12 focal person for measles prevention program, said the number of suspected measles in government and private hospitals in the region is rising.

However, Ventura noted that the number of measles cases this year is still lower compared to last year's.

“This is 26 percent lower as compared to the same period in 2018,” Ventura said in a phone interview.

During the same period last year, DOH-12 recorded 328 cases of measles in the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos City.

This year, Sarangani has the highest number of recorded measles cases at 51, followed by South Cotabato with 50, General Santos City (41), Cotabato City (30), North Cotabato (27) and Sultan Kudarat (5).

Ventura said the death of a four-month-old baby in Polomolok, South Cotabato is still being validated to determine if it was indeed due to measles complication.

In North Cotabato, personnel from the province’s Integrated Provincial Health Office, headed by Dr. Eva Rabaya, are now conducting house-to-house vaccination in the barangays to ensure that children aged nine months to five-year-olds are given vaccines. (PNA)