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Public Health issues measles alert
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Posted on Apr 26 2002
As health authorities suspect an outbreak of measles on Guam, the Department of Public Health yesterday released a health alert notifying the public to revisit the immunization records of their children.
Public Health Secretary Dr. James U. Hofschneider issued the alert late afternoon, in an effort to prevent a similar incident in the Northern Marianas.
“The [DPH] was notified on April 25, 2002 of a suspected outbreak of measles in Guam. Since the CNMI is near Guam, the [DPH] is carrying out measures to prevent an outbreak of measles here in the CNMI,” Hofschneider stated.
Measles is a communicable viral disease, the symptoms of which include high fever, red rash which covers the body, runny nose, watery eyes and coughing.
There is an international attention on preventing the disease that could be fatal. In Africa alone, there is an estimated 12 million cases of measles a year, and 450,000 deaths result from them, according to a news release posted on the web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the CNMI, though, Hofschneider said there has been no case of measles since 1995.
“A vaccine called MMR [measles, mumps, and rubella] protects against measles.,” Hofschneider said. “[The DPH] is asking parents and guardians to check the immunization records of their children.”
The department said there may be two groups of children who may need to be vaccinated.
“First, any child one year of age or older who never received the MMR vaccine. Second, any child over the age of four years of age who only has one MMR shot,” the secretary said.
Hofschneider advised parents and guardians that, if their children falls in any of these categories, these children need to receive immunization “within the next week”. He said the vaccine is available at the Commonwealth Health Center and all private clinics.
Government health facilities –including the CHC Children’s Clinic, the Tinian Health Center and the Rota Health Center — will be open for immunization on weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from 8am to 5pm.
Saipan Health Clinic and Pacific Medical Center would be open tomorrow, Saturday, from 8am to 2pm.
