Other areas in the Philippines have logged cases of pertussis or whooping cough as Iloilo City is placed under a state of calamity a day after declaring an outbreak.
Based on latest data from the local government, the city has logged 16 cases as of Tuesday, March 26, 2024, seven of which are confirmed cases from the Molo, Jaro, Arevalo, and Lapuz districts.
“With the state of calamity status, the city government can utilize the calamity fund for the procurement of medicines and vaccines, and for other strengthened measures and responses against the infectious disease,” the city said.
ILOCOS
Up north in Ilocos, two cases of pertussis were recorded in Region 1 by the Community Health Development (CHD-1) in Pangasinan.
The two cases involve a one-year-old and a six-year-old girl.
For six days, Cherry Bucao's one-year-old niece from Barangay Bonuan Boquig, Dagupan City, has been coughing persistently.
She took her niece to the City Health Office for a check-up due to concerns of the spread of whooping cough.
“Bale six days na siyang inuubo, kaya nandito kami ngayon para ipa-check up [siya] para malaman kung kasi nga nakakatakot yung bali-balita na whooping cough. Mas maganda na ma-check up agad para malaman," Bucao said.
CHD-1 continues its investigation into the reported cases.
CALABARZON
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) - CALABARZON reported a total of 132 recorded cases, with 62 of them testing positive for the disease, from January 1 to March 23, 2024.
Among the provinces in CALABARZON, Cavite has the most number of reported pertussis cases with 41. Rizal follows with 31 cases, Laguna with 28, Batangas with 24, Quezon with 10, and Lucena City with two.
PERTUSSIS
Whooping cough, caused by Bordetella pertussis, is a highly contagious disease that commonly affects children but can also infect adults.
"Ang transmission po nito ay through droplets po, no… ibig sabihin po ay pwedeng sa pag-ubo o sa pagbahing. Puwedeng ito po ay makukuha ng ibang tao, usually kapag malapit po mga one to two meters or three to six meters," Dr. Mark Nicholas Santos, Medical Officer IV and Family Health Cluster Head of DOH-CALABARZON, said.
The disease earned its name from the characteristic sound produced by individuals affected when coughing.
Symptoms include persistent coughing lasting for weeks, runny nose, nasal congestion, watery eyes, and fever.
Vomiting often follows the coughing fits, and patients may experience difficulty breathing.
RESPONSE
According to DOH, treatment options for pertussis are limited, with vaccination being the most effective preventive measure.
CHD-1 said that the best prevention for an outbreak is for people to be vaccinated.
"Para hindi tuluyang magkaroon ng outbreak ang paalala ng Department of Health ay mabigyan ng bakuna ang ating mga anak. So sa pertussis, mayroon tayong tatlong doses na binibigay na edad 1 years old pababa. Sa ating mga magulang, ‘yun ang ating ire-recommend," Dr. Rheuel Bobis, spokesperson for CHD-1, said.
DOH said they have ordered 800,000 to 1 million doses of vaccines against pertussis, which are expected to arrive in the country by June 2024.
"Currently po, nag-inventory tayo ng vaccines, may mga iilan po na paubos na po ang mga bakuna. Ang ginagawa po natin ngayon lalo na po sa mga areas na medyo mataas ang kaso through the inventory of vaccines, nakikita po natin saan 'yung meron pong mga may bakuna para hinihingian po natin,” Santos said.
In light of the situation, health authorities advise the use of face masks, regular handwashing, and avoiding crowded places.
(with reports from Claire Lacanilao, GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon, Paul Hernandez, GMA Regional TV Balitang Southern Tagalog, and Kim Salinas GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas)
