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DOH: 3 million children at risk of contracting measles by end-2022

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Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A child is treated for measles at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila on Feb. 7, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/news/02/13/20190207-measles-outbreak-hospital-jc-8158.jpg"/><figcaption>A child is treated for measles at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila on Feb. 7, 2019. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Some 3 million Filipino children are at risk of contracting measles by the end of the year, the Department of Health said Wednesday.</p><p>According to Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of DOH&#x27;s epidemiology bureau, scores of children under the age of 5 have missed their vaccine shots since 2018.</p><p>&quot;Nitong nakaraang 5 taon, &#x27;pag pinagsama-sama natin yung mga hindi natin nabakunahan, aabot tayo ng more than 3 million. So, ganun karami &#x27;yung kailangan natin habulin,&quot; she said in an online town hall meeting.</p><p>In her presentation, it showed that those at risk for measles exceeded the size of one birth cohort or 2 million. Young school-age children are also susceptible to measles, the report added.</p><p>&quot;Mahalaga &#x27;yung pagbabakuna dun sa tamang schedule na nirerekomenda ng Department of Health,&quot; De Guzman said.</p><p>Since the start of the year, the Philippines has recorded 467 measles cases, which is 203 percent higher from the number of cases recorded in 2021.</p><p>Calabarzon (84), Central Visayas (63) and Metro Manila (53) led with the most number of measles cases among regions. There are 32 areas in the country with laboratory-confirmed measles cases.</p><p>From Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 last year, the country recorded 154 cases of the contagious disease.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2310424" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/04/22/ph-warned-of-possible-measles-outbreak-doh">UN agencies warn of possible measles outbreak in PH in 2023, says DOH</a></li></ul><p>Two United Nations agencies have warned the Philippines of a possible measles outbreak in 2023 due to low routine immunization rates among children.</p><p>The measles virus attacks mainly children with the most serious complications including blindness, brain swelling, diarrhea and severe respiratory infections.</p><p>Its symptoms include a red rash that appears first on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Once very common, it can now be prevented with a vaccine.</p><p>DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier explained that aside from vaccine hesitancy, pandemic-related disruptions such as COVID-19 lockdowns have led to the decrease in routine measles vaccinations.</p><p>She called on stakeholders to strengthen the country&#x27;s routine immunization.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/12/22/1m-pinoy-kids-unvaccinated-vs-preventable-diseases-doh">1 million Filipino children unvaccinated vs preventable diseases: DOH</a></li></ul><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

Some 3 million Filipino children are at risk of contracting measles by the end of the year, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

DOH: 3 million children at risk of contracting measles by end-2022

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DOH: 3 million children at risk of contracting measles by end-2022

Davinci Maru,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 26, 2022 05:21 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 26, 2022 07:21 PM PHT

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health

Department of Health

DOH

measles

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kids

vaccination

Dr. Alethea De Guzman

bakuna

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