74 CONFIRMED CASES

THE PROVINCIAL Health Office (PHO) in Negros Occidental is awaiting the arrival of its procured pentavalent vaccines to conduct catchup vaccination among children less than 5 years old to curb pertussis.

Provincial health officer Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan said they expect the 10,000 vials purchased by the province to arrive within the month.

“There are local government units which still have remaining vaccine supply, but there is none available for the others,” she said in an interview on Friday.

Pentavalent vaccines protect against pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenza type B.

Pinongan said previously, the PHO vaccinated 62 percent of the target population.

She noted, however, that they still need to reach out during the catch-up vaccination more than 20,000 of about 54,000 children needed to be covered.

Latest data of the PHO showed 74 cases of pertussis in 20 out of 31 local government units in

Negros Occidental.

Based on the test results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, 14 are confirmed cases, including one death.

Further, 40 turned out negative, while 20 were probable cases.

The patients were all infants aged 0 to 9 months, Pinongan said.

Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease, with a cough that may last two or more weeks, mild fever, and a runny nose as among its early symptoms.

Others, particularly infants and toddlers, experience cyanosis or turning blue or purple, and apnea or life-threatening pauses in breathing.

In an earlier advisory, Pinongan said those who are unvaccinated or have not completed their vaccination series are at increased risk of severe illness. They should avoid or limit contact with individuals with known or probable pertussis.

“For unvaccinated parents or caretakers of children showing the symptoms, masking, and religious practice of good hygiene is heavily encouraged,” she added.*(pna)