Close to 4K Cordillera kids vaccinated vs. Japanese encephalitis

By Pamela Mariz Geminiano/ PNA

JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VACCINATION. Children below five years old are vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis during the launching of the “Oplan Culex” at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center on February 14. (Photo courtesy of Redjie Melvic Cawis/PIA-CAR)

BAGUIO CITY— A total of 3,837 children aged nine to 59 months have received vaccines that will protect them from the side effects of Japanese encephalitis (JE), an official of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) said on Thursday.

Geeny Austria, RESU nurse at the Department of Health (DOH) Cordillera, told Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the number represents those immunized from February 14 to 26.

There are 1,486 who received the vaccine in Abra; 1,304 in Baguio; and 1,047 in Benguet.

Austria said they hope to reach the 175,000 target children in the whole region, noting that the vaccination for other provinces will be in March.

“This is part of our house-to-house immunization program to reach all the ‘unreached’ and underserved areas in the region,” she said.

She said JE is a fatal illness that affects children and has neurological side effects.

She said “Oplan Culex” JE immunization campaign was piloted by the DOH in four regions — 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon) and the Cordillera– will contain the increasing number of cases.

In 2018, Cordillera had 24 laboratory-confirmed cases, with Baguio, Kalinga and Benguet having five cases each; Ifugao and Apayao with three each; Abra, two; and Mountain Province, one.

From 2015 to 2017, there were 36 laboratory-confirmed cases.

JE is a mosquito-borne viral infection transmitted by the bite of an infected female Culex mosquito, attacking victims after sunset and before sunrise.

Culex mosquito is a brown-colored mosquito that breeds locally in rice fields, ground pools, water hyacinth ponds, slow streams, irrigation ditches and canals.

Health officials continue to urge the public to rid their surroundings and houses of possible mosquito breeding grounds as a preventive measure against JE, dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Popular

Nearly 12K cops to secure SONA — PNP

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said almost 12,000 police officers will be deployed to provide...

DSWD-D.A. tie-up brings P20/kg rice to 300-K ‘Walang Gutom’ beneficiaries

By Brian Campued Beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) “Walang Gutom” Program (WGP) are now eligible to purchase P20 per kilo...

Pro-transparency PBBM backs bank secrecy waiver for gov’t execs

By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is in full support of strengthening transparency and accountability in government, Malacañang...

‘Bising’ enhances habagat, exits PAR

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet After briefly re-entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday night, July 6, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration...