About 945,595 children in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao have been vaccinated against measles as of April 16.
The Department of Health (DOH) said the vaccination is part of the non-selective Measles Outbreak Response Immunization (MORI) being implemented in the area.
DOH data from Jan. 1 to April 6, 2024 have shown that there were 1,627 cases of measles-rubella (MR) in the country, with four deaths recorded.
Children under ten years old are at high risk for MR, making up 82 percent of the total cases. Most of these cases are below five years old.
About 787 or 48 percent of the cases are from the BARMM, hence, the intensive implementation of the MORI.
The top three provinces with the highest percentage of target population vaccinated are Maguindanao del Norte with 88.5 percent; Sulu with 79.2 percent; and Maguindanao del Sur with 72.2 percent.
The DOH noted that only 2.3 percent of those who were offered vaccination either deferred or refused.
“The protective effects of the MORI may not be seen in the epidemic curve until four to six weeks after it started,” it said.
The agency added that it is “cautious in interpreting trends as there may either be late reports or cases previously recorded as clinically compatible but later on shown to have negative test results.
