The increasing number of measles cases in the country is "alarming", an infectious disease expert said on Wednesday.

"That is alarming because if we were going to see last year for example it is just 100 now it will become 900 that is already more than a 100 percent increase, the increase of cases becoming triple or quadruple," Rontgene Solante of the San Lazaro Hospital said.

Solante said the increase was caused by the low vaccination rate of anti-measles vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022.

"We know that when the measles cases increase, the main reason is the low vaccination rate of children. We know that during the pandemic year 2021, 2022, the vaccination rate of measles vaccines was very low. It only reached at least 80 percent and the consequence will show a year after. So we expect that the cases of vaccine preventable diseases including measles will increase," he said.

Solante admitted that because of the COVID - 19 pandemic, the vaccinations for other diseases like MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) were not done as scheduled.

"All of our programs and efforts were focused on COVID-19 containment and control," he said.

"It means the expanded program of immunization for children was left behind. That’s why the Department of Health implemented catch-up vaccination, that also includes MMR for children less than two years-old or the vulnerable population," he added.

Solante explained that measles "is a fatal infection" which can cause life-threatening complications encephalitis and pneumonia.

"It is important for children with measles to consult with a doctor to monitor possible complications like swelling of brain and pneumonia because these are also life-threatening complications that can kill especially in children. The mortality of measles with complications is very high," he said. Robina Asido/DMS