• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Provincial Health Office has logged 14 confirmed cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, in Negros Occidental, as of May 6.
Of the probable cases in the province, 33 others turned out negative, while 17 others are still probable cases, the PHO report added.
Negros Occidental also recorded a single pertussis-related death.
The PHO earlier advised parents to have their children vaccinated against pertussis to prevent infection of the highly contagious respiratory disease.
Infants at least six weeks or one and a half months old can already avail of pentavalent vaccines for free, as protection against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), as well as hepatitis B and haemophilus influenzae type B.
Confirmed pertussis in Bacolod City has also risen to nine, as of May 2, with eight of the patients already having recovered, while one remains hospitalized.*
