Measles cases reach 116 in Pom, and Enga confirms first case

By MATTHEW VARI

Wednesday, April 2, 2014 (Midweek Chronicle, PNG)

WITH measles cases now over the 100 mark and the first confirmed case reported in Enga Province- health authorities in Port Moresby are optimistic that the case numbers will fall this month as a result of the huge vaccination drive that has taken place.

The confirmed case in Enga was revealed from samples sent from Wabag Hospital to Port Moresby, relaying the fear of health authorities on the spread of the disease via the transportation system.

As the Central Province, with two confirmed cases, has undertaken preventative measure along with Gulf Province- Manager for Disease Surveillance with the Department of Health Berry Ropa said that a health team has been sent to the village of where the child was from, and provincial authorities were on high alert.

“A team has been sent out to the province to the village where the case originated from, and according to the parents of the child- they had recently flown out from Port Moresby to the province,” Ropa said.

“The team along with provincial health authorities will now vaccinate children between 6 to 15 years of age in the village and surrounding villages- in the hope of preventing the spread from the affected village.”

Vaccination campaigns in Port Moresby have already covered 140,600 individuals between 6 months to under 20 years.

According to Director for Public Health Dr Niko Wuatai, the hotspots were a majority of cases have come from include; Saraga (6 Mile), Gerehu, Korobosea, Konedobu, Morata, and Gereka, which is just outside the city.

“The four week vaccination campaign will end this week, and due to more cases being detected we are putting together an extension for funding to move into the settlements where there are a lot of children who have not been reached.”

“But we are scaling down the operations and we hope to see a decrease in new cases by the second to third week of April.”

He also revealed plans to request the assistance of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force in terms of medial facilitation and also security for medical teams who will set up stations in settlements in and around the city.

“We are concerned with bed space for the affected cases and are currently in contact with PNGDF for them to assist us with treatment and security, which we hope to confirm by Friday.”