MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday urged parents to have their children vaccinated against measles as it raised the alarm over a surge in cases.

This came as the department logged 1,185 cases of the disease from Jan. 1 to March 15 this year, up by 27 percent from the 930 cases recorded in the same period last year.

National Capital Region has the highest number of cases with 295, followed by Central Luzon with 150 and Calabarzon with 144.

The DOH added that 802 cases, or 68 percent, are children who have not been inoculated.

The department, meanwhile, said it is ramping up immunization efforts to prevent a further rise in cases.

“Patuloy pa rin ang pagsasagawa ng routine immunization sa lahat ng rehiyon sa bansa para sa mga batang edad 0-12 buwan upang maprotektahan sila laban sa iba’t ibang sakit, kabilang ang tigdas. Sa ilalim nito, ang unang dosis ng bakuna para sa tigdas ay ibinibigay sa ika-9 na buwan, habang ang pangalawang dosis ay sa ika-12 buwan (Routine immunization is underway in all regions for children aged 0 to 12 months to protect them from various diseases, including measles. Under this campaign, the first dose of measles vaccine is given on the ninth month and the second dose on the 12th month),” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a news release.

He added that the DOH is intensifying catch-up immunization efforts in some regions for children aged 13 to 59 months who have not completed their routine immunization.

“Makipag-ugnayan sa pinakamalapit na health center para sa schedule ng pagpapabakuna. Pinakamabisang paraan pa rin ang ligtas at epektibong mga bakuna upang maiwasan ang sakit at komplikasyon nito (Go to the nearest health center to know the schedule of vaccination. Safe and effective vaccines are still the best way to protect against the disease and its complications),” Herbosa added.

On Wednesday, Malacañang called on the public to participate in the government’s intensified measles catch-up immunization program dubbed “Bakunahan sa Purok ni Juan.”

Palace Press Officer, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, said the measles catch-up inoculation drive is carried out in health centers in the cities of Caloocan, Quezon, Taguig, Manila, Mandaluyong, and Las Piñas. (PNA)