• CHERYL G. CRUZ
A six-year-old boy from Barangay Villamonte was the first pertussis fatality in Bacolod this year, the City Health Office said last night, June 10.
Dr. Grace Tan, head of the CHO Environment Sanitation Division, said the boy died May 26.
Tan said there were 16 confirmed pertussis, or whooping cough cases in the highly-urbanized city from Jan. 1 to June 1 this year.
Barangays with highest confirmed cases include Taculing with three, and two cases each in Tangub, Villamonte, and Vista Alegre, she said.
There were two confirmed cases, as of the May 26 to June 1 monitoring, while four cases were pending confirmation, Tan added.
Pertussis is a respiratory disease transmitted from person to person through coughing or sneezing, the Department of Health said. “Since children may not be able to use face masks consistently, adults are highly encouraged to help protect them by wearing face masks properly, especially in areas with poor ventilation or crowded conditions.”
Antibiotics are available and effective against it. Vaccination is also safe and effective against pertussis, the DOH added. | CGC
