‘Eastern Visayas pertussis cases increasing’

MANILA, Philippines — Cases of pertussis or ”whooping cough” have been increasing in Eastern Visayas.

The Department of Health-Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-EVCHD) said 30 suspected cases aside from one confirmed case have been recorded in the region since January.

Nineteen or 61 percent of the cases were recorded in Leyte, six in Eastern Samar, four in Tacloban City and two in Southern Leyte.

The DOH-EVCHD advised the public to undergo routine immunization to prevent the spread of the disease, noting that a majority of the patients were unvaccinated.

In Bataan, a child has died due to suspected pertussis while 20 other cases have been recorded.

Bataan Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia III said 12 of the patients were hospitalized.

Five cases were recorded in Baguio City and three in Pangasinan.

Pangasinan provincial health officer Dr. Cielo Almoite said the three patients, aged one to six, have recovered after they were confined at the Baguio General Hospital.

In Baguio City, acting city health officer Celia Flor Brillantes said the city epidemiology and surveillance unit recorded five confirmed cases from Feb. 19 to March 27.

Brillantes said there was no reported clustering of cases at this time even as he advised the public to take the necessary precautions. — Artemio Dumlao