LAGUNA - The Provincial Health Office (PHO) in Laguna has issued a strong recommendation for parents to vaccinate their children against pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, following a concerning uptick in cases across the province. From January 1 to April 6, the province has documented a total of 55 pertussis infections, along with four fatalities attributable to the disease.
According to Philippines News Agency, the cases identified within this period are categorized into "clinical cases" and "confirmed cases" based on Laguna's pertussis tracking system. Clinical cases refer to individuals presenting all typical symptoms of pertussis without laboratory confirmation, whereas confirmed cases are those diagnosed through pertussis culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, recognized as definitive methods for detecting the infection.
The PHO's detailed report also disclosed the geographic distribution of the pertussis-related deaths, noting that two of the deceased were from San Pedro City, with one each from Santa Rosa City and Paete town. In light of these developments, the health office has warned parents about the risks of allowing infants and young children to be in close proximity to anyone exhibiting signs of respiratory infections.
This advisory comes in the wake of Santa Rosa declaring a state of calamity last week due to the identification of 15 cases of pertussis in the city alone, highlighting the urgent need for vaccination and increased vigilance within the community to prevent further spread of this highly contagious respiratory disease.