Five Died Of Measles

Recent deaths recorded happened in the Sabo area of Ibadan, five persons were killed by measles as the ailment seemed to have being spreading fast.

Two weeks ago, the state government had announced that measles immunisation would be conducted between January 28 and February 1, 2016.

But the deaths recorded apparently influenced the latest directive.

“The state Ministry of Health will begin vaccination against measles on January 19, 2016 instead of the earlier scheduled date of January 28, 2016,” the source said.

“This is informed by the death of five people because of the disease. The state is committed to safeguarding the lives of the citizens.”

The state’s Health Educator, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olawoyin, had earlier said that the exercise would target children from nine months to 59 months and that 2.5 million children would be given the vaccine.

She said, “In 2015, 761 blood samples from children were taken to the laboratory as part of the state measles surveillance activity.

“We had 9.7 per cent of the number with negative result while 3.7 per cent tested positive to measles.