Cordillera logs 51 cases pertussis in first three months of 2024

Baguio City, Philippines - Pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory infection, is now one of the notifiable diseases in the country, with 1,112 confirmed cases and 54 deaths recorded by the Philippine Department of Health.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, can spread easily from person to person through droplets produced by coughing or sneezing, according to the health agency.

If untreated for a long period of time, it may cause dehydration, severe weight loss, increased risk of pneumonia, and may lead to death.

Other symptoms of the disease include having a runny nose and nasal congestion, red or watery eyes, low-grade fever, and fatigue.

In Cordillera, 51 cases of such disease were recorded from January 1 to March 30 this year. Of which, 32 were listed in Baguio City, 18 in Benguet, and 1 in Kalinga. No deaths have been reported.

The youngest victim was a 6-month-old baby, while the oldest is aged 41.

During the Kapihan sa Baguio forum recently, DOH-Cordillera Nurse 5 Victoria Malicdan suggested that in order to address the problem, the public should wear face masks when they are experiencing symptoms.

She then advised consulting their doctors when experiencing a cough for at least two weeks.

As for infants, vaccines and booster doses are now being offered free for them in all government health centers nationwide.