SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Department of Health Center for Health and Development Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) has recorded 218 measles cases in 2020, an 89.4 percent lower than 2019’s 2,065 cases.
In an interview on Friday, DOH-CHD-1 information officer Dr. Rheuel Bobis said the decrease in the number of cases can be attributed to the use of face masks.
“Since measles can be transferred airborne the use of face masks has helped in controlling its spread. So we should continue to use face masks as it prevents the spread of communicable diseases not only the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19),” he said.
Based on DOH-CHD-1 data, there were no recorded casualties due to measles in 2020 as compared to 37 deaths due to the disease in 2019.
Of the total number of measles cases in 2020, Pangasinan logged 145 cases, La Union with 55, Ilocos Sur with 13, and Ilocos Norte with five.
Meanwhile, the number of dengue cases in the region has also decreased by 63 percent.
DOH-CHD-1 has recorded 7,029 cases in 2020 against 18,985 in 2019.
Of the total number of dengue cases in 2020, Pangasinan recorded 5,142, La Union with 343, Ilocos Sur with 1,374, and Ilocos Norte with 170 cases. (PNA)
