By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

Philippines health officials are reporting an average of 95.58 percent coverage of children 0-59 months old who were vaccinated against polio for the October 14-27 round of Sabayang Patay Kontra Polio in the National Capital Region (NCR) and in identified areas of Mindanao (Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Davao del Sur, and Davao City).

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Image/Philippines DOH

A total of 1,230,101 (96% coverage) children 0-59 months old from 17 cities/municipalities in NCR were vaccinated with the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). District II, which consists of Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig and Quezon City,  had the most number (505,739 or 103%) of children vaccinated. Among all the cities in NCR, Makati had the highest number of children vaccinated at 52, 978 (107%).

In Davao del Sur, a total of 66,777 (92%) children 0-59 months old from 10 city/municipalities were given OPV. The Municipality of Santa Cruz had the highest (10,667 or 102%) coverage reported. In Davao City, a total of 188,675 (101%) children 0-59 months old were given OPV.

Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur reported a total of 143,164 (85% coverage) children 0-59 months old from 40 city/municipalities were vaccinated with OPV. Saguiaran Municipality had the highest (4,079 or 103%) coverage reported.

“We are elated over this high turn-out of parents and caregivers who had their young children immunized against polio,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III declared. “This means that the majority of them have overcome their distrust of our vaccines and this augurs well for our other immunization programs.”

Since September, the Philippines has reported three cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVPDV2)– one each in Lanao del Sur, Laguna and the latest in Maguindanao.

The Philippines was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000.