A Pertussis Outbreak Is Happening in Quezon City, Mask Up

If you’ve been coughing lately, you’re not alone. Quezon City has just declared a whooping cough outbreak due to an increase in reported cases.

The city government has reported 23 cases of whooping cough or pertussis from January 1 to March 20, including four fatalities among infants between 22 and 60 days. To put things into perspective, there was no case of pertussis in Quezon City in the same period last year, with only three fatalities out of 27 cases for the entire 2023.

In response to this outbreak, Mayor Joy Belmonte has directed various city departments to enhance public awareness and prevention efforts. These measures include the administration of prophylaxis to probable cases, isolation and treatment of confirmed cases, and increased surveillance in high-risk areas.

“There is no need to panic. We are making this announcement to make everyone more prepared and remain vigilant. Ang deklarasyon natin ay pagsiguro na we are on top of the situation,” Belmonte said in a statement.

In addition, the city government is securing emergency supplies of pentavalent vaccines and antibiotics for treatment and prevention. Belmonte is also appealing to pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers to assist in ensuring vaccine availability without exploiting the situation.

What is pertussis or whooping cough?

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria, which is characterized as severe coughing spells lasting up to eight weeks.

It is spread through airborne droplets upon coughing or sneezing. People can also be infected by touching the mouth or nose after touching something contaminated with the bacteria. The disease is most contagious in the early stages of infection, especially before the onset of the severe coughing spells.

Symptoms include persistent cough for two or more weeks, mild fever, and runny nose. Residents experiencing worse symptoms are encouraged to seek medical care.

Pertussis can affect individuals of any age but is particularly dangerous for infants and young children, potentially leading to serious complications such as pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and in some cases, death.

The disease is preventable through the DPT vaccine, which is often given to infants and young children as early as two months old. Good hygiene is also a need, of course. Regularly washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizers, avoiding close contact with infected individuals, and covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing can help prevent the spread of pertussis.

Source: Mask Up: A Pertussis Outbreak Is Happening in Quezon City (msn.com)