by Anna liza Cabrido/PNA
Health personnel in South Cotabato have recorded increasing cases of suspected measles infection among adults.
A report released by the Integrated Provincial Health Office’s (IPHO) epidemiology and surveillance unit (PESU) said about 44 percent or 51 of the 117 measles cases in the area as of March involved patients aged 16 years-old and above.
It said majority of the monitored cases involved infants and children aged 10 years-old and below and those aged 11 to 15 years-old.
Seventy-eight percent of the cases did not have history of measles immunization, which are given between six to 59 months, the PESU said.
The municipality of Polomolok posted the most number of suspected measles cases with 65, followed by Koronadal City with 16, and Banga with nine.
In Polomolok, the clustering of measles cases was reported in Barangays Cannery Site, Crossing Palkan, Glamang, Koronadal Proper, Poblacion, Magsaysay, Pagalungan, Upper Klinan, and Polo.
Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, IPHO chief, said Monday they have sustained their monitoring and massive measles immunization activities in the province, focusing on the remote areas or barangays.
He said they have assigned teams from the IPHO to supervise the conduct of the immunization campaign in the barangay level.
The vaccines are provided through the barangays health stations and there are teams assigned to conduct “door-to-door” immunization, he said.
“The entire province is covered by the massive measles immunization to ensure that the virus would be totally contained,” he said in an interview.
Aturdido said they have to prioritize the infants and children for the immunization but could later provide the excess vaccines to vulnerable adults.
