• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
In the province of Negros Occidental, the number of confirmed pertussis cases, also known as whooping cough, has increased to 13, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Girlie Pinongan disclosed yesterday.
Pinongan, however, said that two-month old infant that recently died at a government hospital, had tested negative for pertussis.
Of the total of 54 pertussis-related cases in the province, Pinongan said 24 are negative, while the probable cases are still awaiting confirmatory results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
PHO records indicated that the majority of confirmed cases are infants between zero to nine months (0-9 months) of age while others are school-aged children.
On the other hand, the City Health Office also reported six confirmed cases of pertussis in Bacolod City as of April 13, with three probable cases now also awaiting confirmatory test results from RITM.
Pertussis is a highly contagious infection which is transmitted through droplets and indirect contact with articles freshly soiled with discharges of infected persons, according to an advisory issued by CHO.
Its symptoms include a persistent cough of two weeks or more, also followed by vomiting.*
