THE number of measles cases in Baguio City is down compared to the first three months of this year, according to the Baguio Health Department.
But even with the downward trend, BHD head Rowena Galpo reiterated the need for parents to observe the vaccination schedules of their children to prevent them from acquiring measles.
“It is good to note that as a result of our surveillance, the cases of measles in the city is going down, we are now below the alert level for the last four weeks reporting period,” Galpo said.
The health specialist added “everyone should be pro-active and be aware of the schedules for vaccination for measles with the first vaccination at nine months to be followed by the second measles vaccination at 12 months.”
“When the children would be at school, parents and their guardians should allow the vaccination for their children and not wait for the house to house immunization that we provide for them,” she stated.
Measles is caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family and can be passed through direct contact and through the air, and infects the respiratory tract.
Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of the disease and its complications which include severe diarrhea, pneumonia, blindness, and even death.
DOH reiterates the need for parents having children belonging to the 0 to 6 months old level which have not been vaccinated of measles to remain at home so as not to be affected by measles.
Aside from measles, the BHD continues to monitor dengue cases with and reminds the people to practice measures which would prevent the establishment of breeding places of dengue mosquitoes.
“For cases of dengue, we have still not reached the alarming level unlike the other local government units and comparing it to last year, we have decreased by 60 percent despite the records which showed that it was at a low level which was lower than 2017 and lower in 2018 but we should still be wary and practice preventive measures to prevent the settling mosquitos to breed,” Galpo added.
The city health department again reiterated the search and destroy method of looking for breeding areas of mosquitos and to make sure to destroy these breeding areas.