By Gail Momblan/PNA
ILOILO CITY — The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Region 6 (Western Visayas) has recorded 32 new measles cases in one day.
Marvin Sumergido, Senior Health Program Officer of DOH-CHD 6, said all the new cases were reported on Thursday with Iloilo province recording the most number at 16. “This is followed by Aklan with nine, Negros Occidental with three, Capiz with two, and Guimaras with one,” Sumergido said in a press conference at DOH-CHD regional office in this city’s Mandurriao district on Friday.
A new case was also reported late Thursday but without indicating yet from which city it was recorded. Meanwhile, Iloilo City and Bacolod City, the highly urbanized cities in the region, both have zero cases.
The new cases resulted to a total of 1,317 measles cases in Western Visayas since January 1.
Based on the DOH data, Negros Occidental still has the highest recorded cases from January 1 to March 14 with 473.
Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe, Medical specialist III, in the previous press conference said the population of Negros Occidental is “very mobile” because of sugarcane workers.
“They can hardly be reached by our vaccination teams because they tend to move residences,” he said.
Given this challenge, Sumergido emphasized the importance of communication in the village level.
“Prior to vaccination, barangay health workers should first set vaccination schedules with mothers and caregivers in order to catch and have kids belonging to ‘very mobile’ families to get their vaccination,” he said.
Meanwhile, measles deaths in the region jumped to five following the death of a 33-year-old in Roxas City, Capiz on March 6.
The DOH-CHD 6 continues its call to mothers and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated against measles.
