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View all search resultsN. Sumatra running out of measles vaccines amid increasing cases
The province recorded 748 cases as of April 30, with 51 cases having tested positive after laboratory tests, compared to March 5 data with only 387 cases.
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Preventive sting: A health worker prepares a measles-rubella vaccine on April 6 at an integrated health services post (Posyandu) amid a measles outbreak due to low vaccination coverage in Cikukuk, West Java. (AFP/Timur Matahari)
T
he number of measles suspects in North Sumatra skyrocketed as of April but the province is running out of measles rubella (MR) vaccines stock amid the increasing trend of cases.
North Sumatra Health Agency recorded 748 cases as of April 30 with 51 cases testing positive after laboratory tests. The number increased significantly when compared to March 5 data, with only 387 cases.
Agency secretary Hamid Rijal said the highest concentration of measles cases was in Medan city and regencies of Deli Serdang and Simalungun. These three areas have been declared as an “extraordinary occurrence” (KLB). The situation is worsened with low basic and complete immunization in those hotspost areas.
“In Medan city, complete baby immunization only reached 7.6 percent in April. In Simalungun it was 22.77 percent and in Deli Serdang it was 31.48 percent,” he said on Wednesday.
“Although we have KLB status in several city and regency, the provincial administration has yet to declare KLB status at the provincial level.”
Hamid acknowledged that handling measles in the province was getting more difficult with the empty stock of MR vaccines at the provincial level. He said that earlier this year, there was also empty MR vaccine stock for about two months.
In addition to empty vaccine stock, there are still residents who refuse to be vaccinated.
