Fighting measles: dozens of deaths in the Philippines

Mistrust of vaccines has caused a serious measles epidemic in the Philippines, with nearly 7,000 cases and more than 100 deaths. Health authorities on Saturday launched a campaign to vaccinate about 5,000 children a day.

About 2.6 million children under five are not vaccinated in the country, still traumatized by the scandal of dengvaxie, a controversial vaccine against dengue that has been applied mbadively in schools between 2014 and 2017 and that is directly related to the 39 children's deaths

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Its manufacturer, the French pharmaceutical Sanofi Pasteur, had to admit in 2017 that it had adverse effects and that vaccinated people who developed dengue fever for the first time would suffer much more serious symptoms.

Due to the fear of vaccines and the collective hysteria generated by the media case of Dengvaxia, 27-year-old Edelyn Darios did not apply any to her youngest child. In January, with only six months, she contracted measles.

"I'm scared today (Saturday) .I just ask my three children – the older two are 8 and 6 years old – to receive a new dose of the vaccine, there are more and more # 39; sick children in the neighborhood, "Edelyn told EFE. He went to the health center of Baseco, a suburb of Manila, one of the most overpopulated areas of the country.

In Baseco, the Philippine Red Cross on Saturday launched an ambitious vaccination plan to vaccinate 2,000 to 5,000 children over the weekend, in health centers and door to door with the help of 250 volunteers , to educate families about the importance of preventing this disease that spreads through the air.

"We have never seen anything like this, so many cases of measles over such a short period, and multiple epidemics occur in different parts of the country," said Susy Mercado, a Red Cross doctor who will coordinate this campaign will be replicated in the country. from other points of the country until March.

Between January 1 and February 13, 6,921 cases of measles – including nearly 30% in Manila – and 115 deaths, most of them under the age of five, confirmed Philippine Secretary of Health Francisco Duque.

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In 2017 – before the case of Dengvaxia – 2400 cases of measles were documented in the Philippines, but in 2018 they increased to 18,000; while the vaccination rate fell from 73% to 55%.

She also went to Baseco's health center, Clarisa Mistura, with her 11-year-old son because her other 9-year-old son has measles – luckily out of danger – and does not want him to be infected.

"I am very worried, every day there are more cases," confessed Mistura, who lost her baby in 1999 because of the disease.

Aisa Lontoc, 23, was out on the street at the call of one of the Red Cross teams who vaccinated her baby door-to-door with her baby, Jean Marco, who has just been Have a Saturday, a year, to apply a second dose and avoid scared.

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"At nine months, I put the vaccine in accordance with the doctor's recommendations, but as we were told that there was no risk of overdose, I want to strengthen it", did he declare.

Not far from Baseco, is to San Lazaro Hospital, the center of Manila specializing in contagious diseases, totally overwhelmed by the influx of cases, more than 2,000 since the beginning of the year and where 75 children died.

"All deaths occurred within 48 hours after admission, as it was cases arrived with pneumonia in a very serious condition," said Dr. Ferdinand De Guzman, director of the Hospital, which received up to 75 cases. day.

De Guzman warned of the direct link between the rapid spread of cases and the most impoverished neighborhoods of the capital, where one-third of its 13 million residents live in irregular and often unhealthy settlements.

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"We get many cases of brothers and neighbors meeting, measles spreads very quickly in the air and in poor communities, it is common that up to ten people live in small housing, in the best cases with latrines, "he said.

In the courtyard of the hospital, several tents were installed with a hundred extra beds to reduce the size of the rooms, children admitted being accompanied 24 hours a day by their parents or relatives.

"I came three days ago because my daughter had a rash and fever," said Jennina de los Santos, 25, with Xymien, eight months, in her arms, who did not was immunized because the vaccine was not available. in the health center of your neighborhood.