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Measles, which was once almost a youth’s `rite of passage’ in the United States, had been all but eliminated by the 1980s after the introduction of the first measles vaccine in 1963. The chart below (source: CDC) shows the remarkable effectiveness of the vaccination campaign.
While many parents today think of measles as a relatively benign childhood illness, it actually produced significant morbidity and mortality with respiratory, ocular, and neurological complications - sometimes resulting in death.
Measles has made an unfortunate comeback in the United States in recent years - driven in part by a rise in vaccine hesitancy - and elsewhere around the world it continues to exact a heavy toll, particularly in low resource countries with low vaccination rates.
This from the World Health Organization:
While global measles deaths have decreased by 84 percent worldwide in recent years — from 550,100 deaths in 2000 to 89,780 in 2016 — measles is still common in many developing countries, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia. An estimated 7 million people were affected by measles in 2016. The overwhelming majority (more than 95%) of measles deaths occur in countries with low per capita incomes and weak health infrastructures.Yesterday the Philippines DOH declared a measles outbreak in the National Capial Region after an almost 10-fold increase in cases during the first 19 days of 2019, compared to the same period in 2018.
DOH DECLARES MEASLES OUTBREAK IN NCR
February 06, 2019
The Department of Health (DOH) today declared a measles outbreak at the National Capital Region (NCR).
Based on data presented by the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, the number of measles cases at the National Capital Region from 1 to 19 January 2019 has reached 196 cases as compared to 20 cases reported in the said region at the same time period in 2018. For the whole year of 2018, NCR registered 3, 646 measles cases as to against 351 cases in 2017.
“We are declaring an outbreak as cases have increased in the past weeks and to strengthen surveillance of new cases and alert mothers and caregivers to be more vigilant,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
The National Capital Region is composed 16 cities and one municipality. These are cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig, Makati, Manila, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa, and the lone municipality of Pateros.
Related to this health threat, other regions under tight watch by the DOH include regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, CAR, CARAGA. These regions need to likewise scale-up their response against measles and having all unvaccinated children vaccinated against measles, a proven effective and safe measure to further stop its spread, is required.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is transferred from person-to-person by sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact. Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes/conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than 3 days.
The disease’s complications included diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia (infection of the lungs), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), malnutrition, blindness which may lead to death.
“Nutritional support and oral rehydration are important measures to increase body resistance and replace lost body fluids caused by coughing, diarrhea, and perspiration,” Duque said, adding that immunization and vitamin A supplementation of nine-month old children are the best defenses against measles.
The DOH is advising mothers, the public to bring all suspect cases to the nearest health facility for early treatment and proper case management.
Less than 24 hours later, the DOH expanded the outbreak to other regions, and has updated the number of deaths in 2019 to 22, with a reported CFR (Case Fatality Ratio) that ranges from 1% to 3%.
DOH EXPANDS MEASLES OUTBREAK DECLARATION TO OTHER REGIONS
The Department of Health (DOH) raised today the red flag for measles in other regions of Luzon, Central and Eastern Visayas aside from yesterday’s declaration in the National Capital Region.
As of 26 January 2019, validated data from CALABARZON was 575 cases with 9 deaths (CFR 2%) (2,538% an increase as compared to 21 cases of 2018), NCR was 441 with 5 deaths (CFR 1%) (1,125% increase as compared to 36 cases of 2018), Region 3 had 192 cases with 4 deaths (CFR 2%) (500% increase compared to 32 cases of 2018), Region 6 with 104 cases and 3 deaths (CFR 3%) (550% increase compared to 16 cases of 2018) and Region 7 with 71 cases with 1 death (CFR 1%) (3,450% increase compared to 2 cases of 2018).
“We are expanding the outbreak from Metro Manila to the other regions as cases have increased in the past weeks and to strengthen surveillance of new cases and alert mothers and caregivers to be more vigilant,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
Other regions showed the number of cases reported at 70 cases with no deaths for MIMAROPA (3,400% increase compared to 2 cases of 2018), Region 1 with 64 cases with 2 deaths (CFR 3%) (220% increase compared to 20 cases of 2018), Region 10 with 60 cases with no deaths reported (4% decrease compared to 63 cases in 2018), Region 8 with 54 cases and 1 death (2% CFR) (5,300% increase compared to 1 case of 2018), Region 12 with 43 cases with no deaths (34% decrease compared to 66 cases of 2018). These regions should likewise step-up their response against this highly communicable disease, as well as ensure that preventive measures play a vital role in preventing the spread of the disease; these must be emphasized to mothers and the general public as a whole.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is transferred from person-to-person by sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact. Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes/conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than 3 days.
The disease’s complications included diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia (infection of the lungs), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), malnutrition, blindness which may lead to death.
“Supportive measures like building the nutritional status of the sick person and increasing oral rehydration are important measures to increase body resistance and replace lost body fluids caused by coughing, diarrhea, and perspiration,” Duque said, adding that immunization and vitamin A supplementation of nine-month old children and unvaccinated individuals are the best defenses against measles.
The DOH is advising mothers, the public to bring their children at the first sign of fever to the nearest health facility for prompt treatment and proper case management.
Beyond the devastating impact of this measles outbreak locally, with our highly mobile society, an outbreak of a highly infectious disease anywhere is a threat everywhere.
