by Miriam G. Desacada
Palo Leyte-The public have been advised to undergo routine immunization, or vaccination to prevent pertussis, and its spread, the cases of which are noted to be increasing now in the region, according to the Department of Health-Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-EVCHD).
While it is heightening its surveillance and monitoring of pertussis, the DOH-EVCHD in its public advisory said that it is continuously coordinating with local government units (LGUs) in providing technical assistance to affected areas, conduct of tests, and the dissemination of correct information about the disease.
Health authorities in Eastern Visayas said in a News Cinference that pertussis (also called whooping cough)—a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria—causes rapid, violent, and uncontrolled coughing fits, which can go on for up to 10 weeks or more, and may pose serious risks or complications to infants and young children.
Latest reports bared that the country-wide there is an alarming rise in the number of pertussis cases, a total of 558 as of March 16, more than half of them infants or children, many of them were unvaccinated or were not immunized.
The DOH even reported that 40 children had already died of the disease so far this year, prompting the department to heighten vaccination drive as urgent. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa was also reported to have reminded the public to get the needed vaccines, which he said are free at health centers.
Dr.Jean Marie Egadgo Officer in- charge of the DOH-EVCHD told the local media that it had recorded 31 suspected cases of pertussis, one of these was confirmed based on a subsequent laboratory test. The confirmed pertussis case was a 3-months old male infant in Pastrana, Leyte who is now however cured and discharged from the hospital.
Of the Eastern Visayas’ 31 suspected pertussis cases—recorded in 14 weeks, from January 1 to April 6—18 of them or 58 percent were male infants, aged under 12 months, as 13 others were 6-months-old and below.
The DOH-EVCHD also said that 19 cases or 61 percent were residents from Leyte province, six or 19 percent from Eastern Samar, four or 13 percent from Tacloban City, and two or 6 percent from Southern Leyte.
Majority of the patients were unvaccinated, and six of them had already been discharged from hospital confinement, added the DOH-EVCHD.–Miriam G. Desacada