DOH: Measles, pertusssis cases dropping

THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported that cases of measles and pertusssis across the country are continuously dropping months after seeing a surge.

In a statement, the DOH said measles and pertussis cases nationwide has gone down in late May when compared to late April.

“Pertussis cases from May 12 to May 25, 2024 have dropped by 38 percent compared to the cases two weeks prior,” said the DOH, adding: “Similarly, the number of reported measles rubella cases has shown signs of plateauing, with cases from May 12 to May 25, 2024 being 37 percent lower.” In actual numbers, pertusssis cases dropped from 301 (April 28 to May 11, 2024) to 187 (May 12 to May 25, 2024).

On the other hand, measles rubella cases went down from 283 (April 28 to May 11, 2024) to 178 (May 12 to May 25, 2024).

Because of the decline in cases, the health department said it has deactivated the “Code Blue Alert,” which was raised last March 20.

“The DOH officially declares the deactivation of Code Blue Alert due to the continuous decrease in pertussis and measles cases,” said the DOH.

The raising of the Code Blue Alert prompted intensified activities to mitigate the spread of the viruses, through vaccination, micro-nutrient supplementation, community engagement, and risk communication.