The Department of Health (DOH) is closely monitoring Pertussis cases in the Philippines, with Western Visayas being one of the regions with the most significant increase.
While Metro Manila has the most confirmed cases nationwide, several regions, including Western Visayas, have shown a worrying rise in infections, the DOH latest advisory said.
DOH urges residents to be vigilant and take steps to prevent the spread of the disease.
DOH recorded 568 cases from January 1 to March 16, 2024, nationwide with 40 deaths. This is a significant jump compared to only 26 cases for the same period in 2023.
At least 6 out of 10 (or 356) of the confirmed cases were infants below 6 months old. Among these infants, a large portion (75.8%) were either unvaccinated or had no documented vaccination history.
DOH continues to emphasize that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent Pertussis. The department is currently fast-tracking the arrival of 3 million more doses of pentavalent vaccines which protect against Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Hemophilus influenza type B.
