2023–2024 Bangsamoro measles outbreak

2023–2024 Bangsamoro measles outbreak
DiseaseMeasles
First outbreakOctober 9, 2023, in Lanao del Sur
Date2023 – present
Confirmed cases2,064 (April 17, 2024)
Deaths
14 (April 17, 2024)
Vaccinations1,034,841 (April 23, 2024)

The 2023–2024 Bangsamoro measles outbreak is an outbreak of measles affecting the autonomous region of Bangsamoro in the Philippines since 2023. An outbreak was first declared in Lanao del Sur on October 9, 2023, with a region-wide outbreak later declared on March 21, 2024.

Outbreak

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Outbreak in Lanao del Sur

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Since April 29, 2023, there are documented cases of people experiencing measles symptoms Lanao del Sur. This was observed in the population of Marawi on June 6, 2023, primarily affecting people below ten years old. An increase of trend of measles cases in different provinces of Bangsamoro was observed from August 6 to September 3, 2023, which led to the declaration of a measles outbreak on October 9, 2023, in Lanao del Sur and Marawi on October 9, 2023.[1]

Regional outbreak

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The measles outbreak was declared in the Bangsamoro region by the local Ministry of Health (MOH) on March 21, 2024. The declaration came after 592 cases and 3 deaths were record in the Bangsamoro since January 1 of that year. Majority of the cases were in Lanao del Sur with 220 people infected.[2][3][4]

The national Department of Health expressed confidence that no outbreak will happen in other regions of the Philippines. The national health department says that it was only the Bangsamoro region which has not attained herd immunity against measles and rubella with 50 percent coverage – the reason which it states that the outbreak has occurred in the region.[5][6]

By April 17, 2024, 787 cases has been recorded in the Bangsamoro region or 48 percent of the 1,627 cases recorded nationwide for 2024 alone.[7] On the same date, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recorded 2,064 cases and 14 deaths since 2023 in the Bangsamoro region.[1]

By April 23, 2024, 905 cases and 4 deaths been recorded in the Bangsamoro for the year 2024 alone.[8]

Response

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The Bangsamoro health ministry in cooperation of the national Department of Health launched a free measles vaccination drive for people in the region which began on April 1, 2024.[9] By April 17, 2024, 981,805 individuals aged six to ten years old has been vaccinated under the program.[9]

The Bangsamoro government also cooperated with the Regional Darul Ifta' of Bangsamoro which insisted through a fatwa that measles vaccines are halal to encourage people to get vaccinated in the Muslim-majority region.[10]

Cases

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Confirmed cases as per the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (April 17, 2024)[1]
Province Cases Deaths
Lanao del Sur 1,265 11
Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur[a] 427 3
Sulu 302 0
Tawi-Tawi 25 0
Cotabato City[b] 23 0
Basilan 14 0
Special Geographic Area[c] 8 0
Total (regionwide) 2,064 14

Notes

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  1. ^ Listed as the defunct Maguindanao province in the report
  2. ^ Independent city
  3. ^ Not a province, city or municipality

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Progress Report No. 5 for the Measles Outbreak in BARMM". National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Untalan, Sherylin (March 23, 2024). "BARMM to expand measles vaccinations to combat outbreak". GMA News. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  3. ^ Unson, John (March 24, 2024). "Measles outbreak declared in BARMM". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  4. ^ Fernandez, Edwin O. (March 23, 2024). "Measles outbreak declared in BARMM". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  5. ^ "DOH: PH-wide measles outbreak unlikely". SunStar. SunStar Publishing Inc. April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  6. ^ "DOH says no need to declare measles outbreak". Manila Standard. April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  7. ^ Baron, Gabriela (April 17, 2024). "DOH logs 1,627 cases of measles-rubella". Daily Tribune. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  8. ^ Fernandez, Edwin (April 23, 2024). "BARMM nears 1.3M children target for anti-measles vaccination". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Barmm measles vax drive reaches nearly 1M". SunStar. SunStar Publishing Inc. April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  10. ^ "BARMM health ministry declares measles outbreak across region". Rappler. March 22, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
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