The World Health Organization (WHO) advised member-states to limit the use of the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia to those who had the dengue virus.

In a statement late Wednesday, the WHO said it is following the position of the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety based on new findings from the vaccine’s manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur.

"Dengvaxia prevents disease in the majority of vaccine recipients but it should not be administered to people who have not previously been infected with dengue virus," said the WHO.

It noted that latest findings of Sanofi Pasteur showed an increase in incidence of hospitalization and severe illness in vaccinated children who did not have dengue.

"The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety considered the company’s new results from clinical trial data analyses," said the WHO.

The WHO statement was issued as the Philippines pulled out Dengvaxia from the market and stopped its dengue vaccination program after Sanofi Pasteur's findings. At least 830,000 students have been vaccinated with Dengvaxia since the first quarter of 2016. DMS