Batanes only measles-free province in Philippines

MANILA: A remote and isolated island province in extreme Northern Luzon became the only area that managed to escape the scourge of the dreaded measles disease that already infected close to 17,000 people, mostly children, nationwide, according to a senior government health official.

And the reason is simple, said Health Secretary Eric Domingo, referring to Batanes which has become a major atraction for local and foreign tourists mainly due to its people, culture as well as breath-taking views and fresh air.

“Batanes is isolated and there is less trafic there so it remains free from measles. We hope they can maintain that,” Domingo told a media briefing as he revealed that from Jan. 1 to March 2, a total of close to 17,000 have fallen victim to this highly-infectious ailment with a total death toll of 261.

Earlier, two other island provinces have been reported free from measles but the disease has since “invaded” Catanduanes in the Bicol Region with one case and Tawi-tawi in Mindanao with 11 reported cases, Domingo said.

But he said provincial and local officials and the Department of Health have been coordinated closely for them ass vaccination especially of children to help ensure and keep Batanes measles-free.

Domingo also reported that nationwide, the health department succeeded in vaccinating almost half of the targeted 3.7 million children aged six to 59 months as of March 6.

“Our coverage has already reached 45 percent. We are hopeful that we can vaccinate all the targeted children soon,” Domingo said, adding their goal is to cover 95 percent of the target to create a “herd immunity,” a condition wherein even those unvaccinated are protected against measles.

This was achieved, he said, from using frontliners in the house-to-house vaccination campaign against measles as well as intensified routine vaccination for children in the health centers.

But Domingo admited that as before, Calabarzon, Metro Manila and Central Luzon, the three regions where measles outbreaks were reported, continued to account for most of the estimated 17,o000 measles cases reported nationwide.