TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Health (DOH) reported that there are currently 39 cases of pertussis in the region of which one was a confirmed case.
The confirmed pertussis case, based on laboratory tests, involved a three-month-old baby from Pastrana, Leyte, who has already recovered and been discharged from the hospital.
Pertussis is an infectious and life-threatening virus that can cause severe complications among children aged five and below. It is transmitted through respiratory droplets exchanged between individuals from sneezing or coughing.
Based on the record from the DOH-8, as of Friday (April 12), the region has 39 pertussis cases with one confirmed.
Leyte has 25 cases which include the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc; six in Eastern Samar; four in Northern Samar; three in Southern Leyte; and one in Samar province.
Dr. Jean Marie Egargo, DOH assistant regional director, said that the majority of suspected patients were unvaccinated.
“Most of the suspected cases, or 26 of them, are not vaccinated against pertussis. Vaccination is safe and effective against the infection,” she said.
It was learned that 10 of the cases were immunized while one was said to have been partially immunized.
The majority of the cases were below one year old or 26 cases.
Seventeen of these cases have been declared to have recovered from the ailment while the remaining 22 others are said to have ongoing treatment.
As part of their campaign, the DOH in the region is conducting online sessions involving healthcare workers, local and barangay officials, and schools.
Symptoms of the pertussis infection start with cold-like symptoms and progresses to severe, paroxysmal coughing fits.
(MARY ANN M. OLAYA, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
