• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The number of confirmed pertussis cases, also known as whooping cough, in Negros Occidental has increased to 13, data of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) on Friday (April 26) showed.
Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan, provincial health officer, however, said that the two-month-old infant who recently died at a government hospital was tested negative for pertussis.
Of the total of 54 pertussis-related cases in the province, 24 are negative while the probable cases are still awaiting confirmatory results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
PHO records indicated that majority of the confirmed cases are infants from zero to nine months while others are school-aged children.
Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) reported six confirmed cases of pertussis as of April 13, with three probable cases also awaiting confirmatory results from the RITM.
Pertussis is a highly-contagious respiratory infection, which is transmitted through droplets and indirect contact with articles freshly soiled with discharges of infected persons, according to an advisory issued by the CHO.
Its symptoms include persisting cough for two weeks or more, which is also followed by vomiting. | GB
