Measles outbreak declared in Baguio City; infant dies

BAGUIO CITY – The city health services office warned the public about a rise in measles cases after the death of a seven-month-old infant here recently.

This, as the city health services office declared a measles outbreak in Barangay Kayang Hilltop after it recorded a rise in the incidence of the disease during the past few weeks.

All 21 measles cases in the city were recorded in Kayang Hilltop with a seven-month infant as the latest fatality.

The local health department alerted the different district health centers to conduct a massive information and education campaign in their respective areas of jurisdiction in order to convince mothers of children aged 6 months to 12 years old to avail of the massive anti-measles vaccination in the city.

The city health office is also coordinating with the Department of Education to facilitate the vaccination of children in the different private and public schools to prevent the disease from spreading.

Health authorities said they intensified vaccination of children to protect them from the predicted outbreak of measles due to the prolonged dry spell or the El Niño phenomenon.

Officials said the parents of the infant reported that the baby was initially diagnosed only as suffering from plain fever.

After a few days, rashes appeared on the infant’s body, prompting the parents to again seek medical attention.

By that time, however, the baby’s immune system had considerably weakened, leading to the infant's death.

The local health department reported that the victim’s relatives were also found infected with measles and were given vaccines.

The city health office directed its district units to conduct massive information and education campaigns in their respective areas so that residents will be guided on what to do when their children or family members fall ill with measles. – With a report from Dexter See