Bangkok – Thailand’s Department of Health Service Support (DHSS) has instructed relevant agencies to contain a measles outbreak in the Deep South and Songkhla province after 1,515 cases and 12 deaths have been reported.
The DHSS has instructed the Primary Health Care Division, the Institute for Health Service System Innovation Development of Yala and the Office of Health Service Support Region 12 to implement measures to prevent the spread of measles in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla provinces.
More than 1,500 people have contracted the disease since January. The majority of patients are babies and children who have not been vaccinated.
Local public health offices and members of these agencies are expected to make sure all children in their respective provinces receive proper vaccines and educate the locals on a healthy lifestyle.
To contain the outbreak, people are urged to eat hot meals and use a middle spoon when sharing food among family members or friends. Frequent hand washing is also advised.
