Pertussis rise highest in Central Luzon, Central Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is monitoring Central Luzon and Central Visayas for posting the highest increase in pertussis cases in March.

“Mukhang may ongoing transmission doon in the last two weeks of March,” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday.

DOH data showed that up to 1,112 cases of pertussis have been reported nationwide from Jan. 1 to March 30. Only 28 cases were recorded during the same period last year.

Herbosa said Calabarzon recorded 187 cases or 22 percent of the total cases. The region logged only three cases last year.

Central Luzon reported 132 cases.

Herbosa said the DOH is redistributing vaccines to areas with outbreaks of pertussis.

“We are augmenting our supply by buying off-the-shelf DPT vaccines to help those who are unvaccinated,” he said, referring to the pentavalent vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type B.

Meanwhile, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine has confirmed three pertussis cases in Bacolod City and two others in Negros Occidental.

Provincial health officer Girlie Pinongan said 23 suspected cases were also recorded in the province.

The DOH-Central Visayas office urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive the recommended vaccines to prevent the spread of the disease.

BARMM measles outbreak

Meanwhile, Herbosa said the outbreak of measles in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BARMM) is expected to end soon.

“We hope in about four to six weeks, we can declare the outbreak of measles in BARMM already controlled,” Herbosa said. “We are getting there. We’re on track.”

He said 500,000 of the 1.3 million target population for vaccination in the region had been immunized against measles.

The DOH launched a 10-day measles vaccination campaign in BARMM on April 5.

Herbosa said the measles outbreak in the region started in September last year, with only 50 percent of vulnerable children vaccinated against the disease.

He said vaccine hesitation in the country is highest among parents in BARMM.

At least 592 measles cases have been recorded in the region since January, with three deaths.

Lanao del Sur logged the highest number of cases at 220, including two deaths.

Pertussis and measles are concerns of many countries as the COVID pandemic hampered routine vaccination, according to the World Health Organization regional office in the Western Pacific. — Gilbert Bayoran