DOH intensifies measles, pertussis vaccination amid surge in cases

The Department of Health (DOH) has intensified its vaccination campaign against measles and pertussis due to a significant rise in cases nationwide.

For the first 10 weeks of 2024, 453 pertussis cases were reported, a stark increase from previous years, with disruptions in routine immunization during the pandemic identified as the primary cause.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection presenting with mild flu-like symptoms.

As of February 24, 2024, a total of 569 measles and rubella cases were recorded, with most regions showing an increase in February.

The DOH has established a national Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) with support from WHO, UNICEF, and USCDC to manage the response.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa is supervising on-the-ground activities and has initiated Code Blue at the DOH Central Office to signal intensified mitigation efforts.

A non-selective Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) strategy for measles-rubella, along with Vitamin A supplementation and bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) activities, is being implemented in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).