ZAMBOANGA CITY — Two children were reported to have died due to suspected cases of measles in this city.
This was learned through the conduct of the door-to-door catch-up immunization for Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR).
The City Health Office launched the MMR catch-up immunization in a bid to eliminate if not lessen the number of measles cases following the declaration of an outbreak of the disease.
Jackie Lim, Tumaga barangay chair, on Wednesday revealed the two children who died of measles aged three months and two years old were from Masuhud Drive in her barangay.
Lim said the children who belonged to indigent families died of measles while confined in the hospital.
Lim said she accompanied the health personnel undertaking the door-to-door MMR immunization to convince the parents who refused to allow their children to be immunized.
She said the parents were apprehensive brought about by the Dengvaxia scare.
Corazon Pagotaisidro, City Health Office’ immunization program coordinator, earlier told the Philippine News Agency that they aim to immunize at least 121,000 children with MMR vaccines during the catch-up immunization.
Pagotaisidro said to be immunized during the catch-up immunization, which was from February 19 to March 23, were children aged six to 59 months old.
She said the immunization was part of the pro-active measures to address the measles outbreak in this city.
Measles is a highly communicable viral illness transmitted through direct contact with nasal or throat secretion of infected person or by articles freshly soiled with nose and throat secretion. (R. G. Antonet Go/PNA)
