Iloilo City – The City Health Office (CHO) in Iloilo City is poised to recommend the lifting of the state of calamity invoked due to the pertussis outbreak, provided that no new probable cases emerge in the upcoming two weeks. During a press conference on Monday, CHO head Dr. Annabelle Tang reported no new probable cases of pertussis in the last fortnight.
According to Philippines News Agency, the absence of new cases can be attributed to the city's robust response measures, including an Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) program, an extensive vaccination campaign, post-exposure prophylaxis for adults, and the targeted vaccination of pregnant women post-partum. Dr. Tang detailed the consumption of 6,085 vaccine doses supplied by the Department of Health on April 15, with continued vaccinations using an additional 3,573 doses purchased by the city, primarily aimed at children aged 0-12 months. Additionally, 606 pregnant women have been vaccinated with the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (TDaP) vaccine from a batch of 1,200 doses procured by the local government. The health office awaits 284 more women to reach their 27 to 36 weeks of pregnancy to administer the remaining TDaP vaccines.
Dr. Ronald Jay Fortuna, another representative from the city health office, mentioned that the health authorities would continue to assess the trend of cases bi-weekly, mirroring the strategy employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. If no new probable cases are identified in the next two weeks, the CHO will officially recommend ending the state of calamity, marking a significant containment milestone for the pertussis outbreak in Iloilo City.