Manila, April 2 -- The Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) on Wednesday reported a decrease in the number of measles and rubella (MR) cases in the first quarter of the year in the Bicol Region.

During a press conference at La Edley Hotel and Resort, Dr. Desiree Bricenio, the immunization program coordinator for DOH-5, said that according to the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU), the MR case count as of March 29, 2025, was 23, down from 43 cases during the same three-month period in 2024.

Bricenio said the DOH-5 has launched an intensified routine and catch-up immunization campaign to ensure high-quality measles and rubella vaccination activities throughout the region.

"Once we receive the vaccines, we deliver them immedi...