BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The city government won’t implement a lockdown despite declaring a state of calamity due to the outbreak of pertussis or whooping cough.
Instead, Mayor Jerry Treñas issued an order providing for health measures and outbreak responses.
Executive Order No. 46 outlines guidelines for the prevention, detection, isolation, treatment, and reintegration strategy and outbreak response for the pertussis outbreak.
The Iloilo City Council approved Tuesday the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to place the city under a state of calamity to address the spread of the disease.
The City Health Office recorded 16 cases, mostly six months to 12 years old from January to March 25. Of the 16 reported cases, seven are confirmed and nine are suspected.
“The city must intensify its prevention, early detection, isolation, treatment, reintegration, and timely, appropriate and high-quality outbreak response for pertussis to prevent and control its transmission,” the resolution read.
With the declaration, the city government will utilize about P16 million calamity funds, mobilize health resources and implement measures to tackle the spread of the diseases.
In the executive order, Treñas stressed that lockdown measures will not be resorted to as an outbreak response for pertussis.
Instead, confirmed or probable cases of pertussis are directed to proceed to the nearest health facility or hospital for proper assessment and management of the diseases.
All district, health centers and private health facilities are also directed to assess and manage patients while complying with the case investigation form (CIF) and email the results to the Iloilo City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (ICESU).
Individuals who are at risk (less than 12 months old, pregnant women of more than 32 weeks of gestation, or those with comorbidities) are advised to strictly adhere to standard precautions and additional transmission-based precautions such as wearing of face masks, and proper hand washing to prevent and control the transmission of pertussis.
“Health workers shall ensure that individuals who are experiencing signs and symptoms of pertussis are assessed, collected samples for laboratory confirmation, reported to the epidemiology and surveillance network, monitored, managed, and properly referred, if applicable,” the executive order read.
Likewise, all schools and academic institutions in the city are instructed to report students who manifest symptoms of pertussis to the nearest health center for proper assessment and management.
“Children who arrive at schools or learning centers with sore throat and fever should be discouraged from attending school and referred to the closest health center/primary care unit for thorough evaluation and corresponding medical treatment,” the order states.
The city government also urged the public to get vaccinated against the disease, especially for infants and young children, at their nearest district health centers.
Those asymptomatic household close contacts are advised to take antimicrobial prophylaxis within 21 days of onset of cough in the confirmed case.
Those who are in close contact of suspected and confirmed cases of pertussis shall voluntarily undergo 21 days of self-monitoring after exposure for possible development of signs and symptoms of pertussis.
These symptoms include mild fever with more than 38 degree Celsius, runny nose, and persistent coughing for two weeks or more fits of coughing and followed by vomiting.
Likewise, the city government encouraged individuals with pre-existing health conditions, or high probability of having close contact with high-risk individuals to visit the nearest district health center or hospital for consultation.
Pertussis, commonly known as “whooping cough” is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can be particularly severe among infants and young children.
This can be acquired primarily through direct contact with discharges from the respiratory mucus membranes of the infected persons.
The bacteria may be spread through droplets and indirect contact with articles freshly soiled with discharges of infected persons. Its symptoms include a cough persisting for two or more weeks, paroxysms which usually occur at night, followed by vomiting and exhaustion.
Infants not yet eligible for vaccination and infants and young children exposed to individuals who are experiencing influenza-like symptoms are at high risk for pertussis./PN