CEBU CITY, Philippines–At least 40 inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) were confirmed to have measles, Provincial Health Office chief Rene Catan said on Thursday.
Catan, in a phone interview on Thursday afternoon, told CDN Digital that the measles cases have been reported on the first week of January and has not increased this week yet.
Considering that measles is a highly communicable disease, Catan said the number of affected inmates can still surge.
“Tungod kay close kayo nagpuyo ang mga inmates, dako og chance nag mokatay. Karon, ni-hit na ta og mga 40 o 50 cases. Pero these are mild cases tungod kay ginamanage na ni nato sa ilang mga symptoms,” said Catan.
“Sa population sa CPDRC nga around 3,000, kanang 40 makaingon na ta nga na epidemic na gyod na siya,” he added.
An outbreak of disease can be considered an epidemic, Catan explained, if the number of affected people bizarrely goes beyond the normal border.
In the case of CPDRC where the inmates are adults, Catan said it is unusual that they contracted measles when it is a disease that usually hits children.
Catan said those who have been confirmed to have measles were temporarily isolated to prevent the disease from affecting more inmates.
The sick inmates were also given non-specific medicines like those intended for cough, colds and fever since the most common complication of measles is pneumonia, Catan added. /rcg