HEALTH officials visited the coastal community of Malusac, one of the farthest barangays of Sasmuan town which is accessible only by boat, to conduct an immunization campaign against measles and Japanese encephalitis (JE).

The Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon has been conducting a series of intensified measles outbreak response immunization. This means bringing the immunization drive even to farthest and the most remote barangays.

Dozens of parents guided their children to the queue during the vaccination drive in Malusac.

Pampanga is among the provinces in Central Luzon with the highest number of measles cases. Measles is a highly infectious and communicable disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include high fever, cough, conjunctivitis and colds.

If not properly managed, it can lead to complications, such as blindness, encephalitis, pneumonia, diarrhea and even death.

This March, the Health department is in full operation to vaccinate all children aged 9 to 59 months against JE.

JE is a disease spread through mosquito bites and its symptoms, such as fever, vomiting, confusion and difficulty of moving, could lead to swelling of the brain and coma and eventually death.

The DOH said there is no specific antiviral treatment for JE. Vaccination is the single most important control measure.

The department is advising the public to get in touch with their local public health officers for the schedule of vaccinations.