This week, another child become the ninth victim in Yala to die from measles since the outbreak began in the deep South in June, and which has quickly spread since then.
This child and the other eight lives could have been saved because the disease is preventable by vaccination, which is accessible to all in Thailand. But a false belief preached by local Islamic teachers has spread among local Muslim communities for years that the vaccine is not permissible under Islamic teaching because it is derived from pigs.
As a result, a large number of Muslim parents in the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat have not had their young children immunised against the disease. The measles vaccine is given in two shots -- the first between the age of nine to 12 months and the second at two and a half years.
It is true that the gelatin in the measles vaccine is derived from either pigs or cows. The debate over whether parents should have had their children vaccinated has been a contentious issue in many Muslim communities across the world, even though there has been a consensus among global religious leaders that it is allowed.
In 1995, more than 100 Muslim scholars gathered at a seminar organised by the Islamic Organisation for Medical Sciences in Kuwait concluded that gelatin derived from pigs is purified enough for use in vaccines. Since then, public health authorities in many countries have usually cited this conclusion to promote measles vaccination among the Muslim population.
Yet, there is still confusion among certain Muslims communities. In August this year, Indonesia's leading Muslim organisation issued a fatwa, a pronouncement on Islamic law, declaring the measles vaccine was forbidden, but said it could continue to be used until a halal version was available. But reports suggested that a number of towns in Indonesia have suspended using the vaccine, prompting concern over its accessibility.
In Thailand, local officials have insisted that the vaccine available to people in the far South via the Public Health Ministry is the halal version which contains no pork ingredients. But in cases where there is a shortage of halal vaccine, they said vaccine with pork gelatin is still permissible under Muslim principles.
Clearly, these messages have not been well-received by local people who tend to listen more to local religious leaders. That is because in a region plagued by insurgency and violence for more than a decade people have become mistrustful of authorities. Gen Surachet Chaiyawong, the government's special envoy to the South, this month even said that there has been resistance in the region against the vaccination programme.
The low vaccination rate in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat has resulted in the rapid spread of the disease, which is worrying. This is because measles is airborne. It is one of the most contagious diseases and can be fatal to children.
In Yala alone, local health offices revealed that there have been at least 500 people infected by measles since June.
Given the prominent role of local religious leaders, there is a need for government and public health officials to work more closely with them in order to deliver the right message.
In Thailand, the measles vaccine has been used since the early 1980s. Now that the vaccine has become part of the national immunisation programme, it is estimated that about 99% of children are immunised against the disease.
Children in the deep South should not be among the 1% minority not immune to the disease. They should not be victims of false messages. The measles outbreak in the three southernmost provinces could have been prevented or at least better contained.