Over 240 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in Yangon

Over 240 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in Yangon
Published 14 February 2019

Between January 1 and February 4, there were 248 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles, out of 268 people under supervision for measles, according to a press meet on measles-rubella vaccination program in seven townships in Yangon held at Yangon Region Public Health Department on February 13.

The number of measles cases is relatively high compared to 646 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in the whole of 2018, said Dr. Tun Myint, deputy director-general of Yangon Region Public Health Department.

Dr. Aung Naing Oo, assistant director of the Central Extended Immunization Division under the Public Health Department (Nay Pyi Taw) said: “From January 1 to February 4, there were 437 patients suspected of being infected with measles. The department has conducted laboratory tests on 276 patients. No laboratory result has been received. 13 patients have been laboratory-confirmed that they are very similar to the symptoms of measles. There is no report causality.”

An epidemic of measles breaks out in seven townships in Yangon.  Of 268 patients, South Dagon Township topped the list of cases with 32 patients, followed by Shwepyithar Township with 28, Insein Township with 21, Dagon Seikkan Township with 20, Hlaingthayar Township with 16 , Mingaladon Township with seven and East Dagon Township with six.

Ministry of Health and Sports will inject measles vaccine to all the children aged between 19 months and 15 years, from February 17 to 28.

Last year, there were 1,276 measles patients nationwide. A total of 646 cases (accounting for 50 per cent of the nationwide cases) were reported in Yangon Region and 75 per cent of patients were below 15 years of age. It is because the coverage of the regular immunization program hit less than 90 per cent every year  and the coverage of collective immunization program in 2017 with 85 per cent.

Myanmar has been carrying out the collective immunization against measles and rubella since 2015. Since 2018, the spread of measles are reported in the globe. The outbreaks of measles are found early in Yangon, Shan and Kayin where there were no full coverage of regular and collective immunization.