12/05/2024
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- The independent City of Santiago in Isabela has confirmed its first case of Pertussis, a highly infectious respiratory disease from a 28-day-old baby, according to its City Epidiomology and Surveillance Unit.
The said patient was admitted at the Southern Isabela Medical Center (SIMC) last April 22, 2024 due to extreme coughing and was swabbed for testing of the aforementioned respiratory disease.
The results were positive and released last May 6, 2024 from the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine, citing that strict health protocols must be in place as the disease is easily transmitted.
Contact tracing was immediately conducted by the Santiago City Health Office, and a rollout of booster doses of Pentavalent vaccines were given to children at the affected areas.
Authorities said the patient is in good condition, while close monitoring is conducted from people logged in the contact tracing.
As of early April 2024, the Department of Health has recorded over 800 Pertussis cases in the country where most of them are from Central Luzon, Western and Central Visayas, Mimaropa, and Metro Manila.
The DOH confirmed that almost 80 percent of the cases were children under 5 years of age, and only 4 percent of cases are adults aged 20 and over.
Pertussis, commonly known as 'whooping cough' in the Philippines has logged a total of over 49 deaths since the start of 2024.
There is also a sharp rise of Pertussis cases noted in western countries such as the UK, among others.
Pertussis starts as a mild cough with colds, which usually lasts for 2 weeks and bits of coughing which may last up to 6 weeks.
Vomitting after coughing has also been logged among patients, as well as low-grade fever, have also been recorded by the health department.
Some infants with the disease had also been observed to have been turning 'cyanotic' or bluish when coughing, according to the DOH.
Authorities said that the disease can be transmitted through coughing, and sneezing, highlighting the need for strict hygiene and health protocols to avoid the spread.
Meanwhile, patients with the said symptoms are advised not to self medicate and immediately go for check-ups with doctors.
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