MANILA, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A measles outbreak was reported in six areas in the Philippines, including Metro Manila, the country' s Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.
Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral said that an outbreak of measles was declared in Tondo, Manila; Las Pinas City; Dasmarinas, Cavite; San Francisco town in Quezon Province; and Balabagan town in Lanao del Sur.
A total of 570 cases of measles have been recorded over the past two months with children aged one to nine as its common victims, Cabral said.
"Measles is an airborne disease and is contagious. The disease can also be aggravated due to over crowding and congestion," she said in a radio interview.
Health workers have been sent to different parts of the country to conduct immunization services against measles.
Symptoms of measles include fever, general weakness and occasionally red eyes. These symptoms usually come before the characteristic skin rash confirming the onset of measles.
Although measles is usually a self-limiting disease, it can cause complications in people with weak immune systems, including diarrhea, pneumonia and encephalitis, and corneal ulceration leading to corneal scarring.
