The Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) has reported a suspected measles outbreak at the Metro Bacolod District Jail (MBDJ) in Barangay Handumanan this week.
More than two dozen male inmates have demonstrated symptoms of fever and rashes.
“We label it as suspected measles unless it is confirmed by laboratory test, through oropharyngeal swab, nasopharyngeal swab or serum, by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine,” Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environmental Sanitation Division said.
Health officials conducted a measles-rubella (MR) mass immunization for both the male and female inmates.
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About 1000 male and female inmates and the jail staff at the MBDJ were immunized.
It is suspected that the measles virus was brought in by a visitor to the jail.
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The inmates are all adults and probably all were already vaccinated against MR.
Majority of our jails have deplorable conditions and have inmates exceeding jail capacity, hygiene, sanitation, ventilation and poor nutrition among others are the culprit of that outbreak.