The World Heath organization lists the prevention method of measles as: Live attenuated viral measles vaccine - one dose given by the intramuscular or subcutaneous route, with opportunity for second dose at least one month after the first.
The only way to properly treat the outbreak is to immunize the surrounding areas. The main issue with measles is that it is highly contagious which can be dangerous for a highly populated area. This outbreak resulted in greater then 18000 cases in the Luzon area (Watson 2007).
What is the current status of the disease?
It has been 20 years since the eruption that resulted in the initial outbreak but there is still prevalence of measles in the area. The initial disaster resulted in the increased cases due to evacuation camps that were highly populated, which made the measles easy to spread. Although healthcare standards in the Philippines have improved from 1991, a Report from Sol Aragones (2011) of ABS-CBN News indicates that 6000 cases of measles were identified in 2010 in the Philippines. The reason for the prevalence is the population density and the lack of immunization. To combat this epidemic, a campaign by the Department of Heath was created to increase awareness and increase immunization, especially in children. Despite these efforts, the immunization rate in this country is far lower then what we see in Canada.