BARMM deploys health workers to contain measles outbreak
Health officials in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) deployed medical field workers throughout the region to fend off a measles outbreak that already infected 300 children and killed three others in the past four months.
Dr. Zul Qarneyn Abas, BARMM deputy health minister, said that health workers have been deployed in 116 towns to vaccinate children aged six months to 10 years, the high-risk population for measles-rubella infection.
Abas said the vaccination drive will last until April 20 and will target 1.3 million children in the BARMM.
“The epidemiological profile shows that those under five years of age and who are unvaccinated are the most affected,” Abas said.
From January 1 to March 20, Abas said Maguindanao del Norte recorded the highest measles infection with 172 afflicted children, followed by Lanao del Sur with 162 cases.
Abas said that Sulu province also recorded 135 cases; Marawi City, 86; Maguindanao del Sur, 19; and Basilan, 14.
He said that Cotabato City recorded four cases, three in Tawi-Tawi, and two in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area.
Smuggled cigarettes seized in Sulu town
Following a tip from barangay officials, police seized P540,000 worth of smuggled cigarettes in Indanan town, Sulu, officials said on Monday.
Police Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawohn, BARMM police director, said the smugglers left the contraband on a beach in Sitio Pamawlan, Barangay Kajatian in Indanan town.
Tanggawhon said the smugglers left on a motorboat after learning that a police team was arriving.
He said the 45 boxes of untaxed cigarettes were turned over to the Bureau of Customs.
CDO conducts daily monitoring of Pagasa weather updates
The local government unit of Cagayan de Oro City has been monitoring daily the weather updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to see if the temperature has risen to dangerous levels due to the El Niño phenomenon.
Nick Jabagat, chief of the Cagayan de Oro Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO), said that once the temperature reach dangerous levels, he would recommend the suspension of classes in all private and public schools in the city.
“For now, Cagayan de Oro has a relatively lower temperature than the other areas. The city experienced slight to moderate rains during the Holy Week,” Jabagat said.
He said that as of Monday, April 1, the temperature in the city peaked to 38 degrees Celsius (°C) while on Easter Sunday, the temperature was recorded at 39 °C.
Mayor Rolando Uy delegated the CDRRMO to make recommendations if the temperature become unbearable for the students.
Last Monday, the towns of Tantangan and Banga in South Cotabato suspended afternoon classes due to the scorching heat brought by El Niño.
Other local government units in the Visayas and Luzon have also suspended classes due to the sizzling temperature.
