ILOILO — The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) has issued a call to parents to have their children vaccinated against pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, following the death of three infants from the disease between January 1 and February 24.
Vaccinations are available free of charge at various rural health units (RHUs).
The fatalities were a two-month-old baby girl from Miag-ao town, a 24-day-old baby girl from Dumangas, and a 28-day-old baby girl from Balasan. Among these, two were suspected cases due to the absence of pre-mortem testing, and one was confirmed through laboratory analysis.
Additionally, the IPHO reported three active cases of whooping cough in the towns of Santa Barbara and Badiangan.
Pertussis is known for its severe, uncontrollable coughing fits that make breathing difficult, with infants and young children being the most at risk.
Rodney Labis, the chief of the Health Service Delivery Division at the IPHO, emphasized the importance of vaccinating infants at six, 10, and 14 weeks of age.
He reassured parents that the vaccines are both safe and effective in preventing the disease.
The disease is defined by the IPHO’’s Disease Surveillance Unit as a cough lasting at least two weeks, accompanied by symptoms such as whooping sounds during coughing and breathing difficulties.
Pertussis can affect individuals of all ages but poses the greatest risk to unvaccinated infants.
Symptoms typically appear five to 10 days post-infection but may take up to three weeks.
Infected persons are most contagious in the initial two weeks, during which symptoms resemble those of the common cold, including fever, runny nose, and a mild cough. In infants, apnea, or pauses in breathing, is common.
As the disease progresses, individuals experience paroxysmal coughing, characterized by rapid, violent coughs followed by a struggle to breathe. This stage can last from one to six weeks, with the possibility of extending up to 10 weeks, and tends to worsen at night.
Labis warned against the use of over-the-counter cough syrups, which may exacerbate symptoms.
He advised close contacts of infected individuals to seek post-exposure prophylaxis from health workers and stressed the importance of early consultation for effective antibiotic treatment.
To mitigate the spread of pertussis, the IPHO recommended practicing proper cough and sneeze etiquette, such as covering the mouth and nose with a tissue, handkerchief, or the upper sleeve or elbow, and washing hands thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer.
It also advised isolating symptomatic individuals at home to protect others./PN
