OUT of 143 reported measles cases in Central Visayas, only 37 are laboratory-confirmed, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) 7 said yesterday.
To anticipate the possibility that more measles cases will crop up, health officials are meeting with local government units in Cebu and other areas in the region for the implementation of the catch-up vaccination program for those not yet affected by the virus.
Dr. Shelbay Blanco, chief of DOH 7’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU), told reporters yesterday that of the 37 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in Region 7, 33 are from Negros Oriental, and two each are from Cebu and Siquijor.
Blanco said 106 of the 143 cases are still being subjected to laboratory confirmation.
Despite reports last week that a three-month old baby from Tuburan, Cebu died due to measles, Blanco said they can’t confirm if the measles killed the child as they failed to secure an oral swab from her.
An oral swab collected from a person affected with measles could have been taken to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Manila for confirmatory testing.
Of the 143 cases, 31 are from Dumaguete City, 15 from Bacong, 11 from Sibulan, eight from Larena, seven each from Badian, Siaton and Cebu City; six from Lapu-Lapu City, and four each from Mandaue City and Santa Catalina.
The number of measles cases, which was recorded last week, was 377 percent higher compared to the same period last year, which only had 30 cases and no deaths. (JKV)