By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 862 cases of pertussis and 49 deaths from January 1 to March 24, Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag said on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
Earlier, some cities declared a pertussis outbreak due to the increasing number of cases in their area.
Tayag mentioned that DOH’s pentavalent vaccines, used to prevent the disease, are not sufficient to accommodate all children.
“Pertussis is known to rapidly infect babies. Fortunately, we have protection against pertussis through the pentavalent 5-in-1 vaccine administered starting at 6 weeks of age. However, the vaccine supply is running low,” Tayag stated in an interview with Unang Balita.
Meanwhile, the Health official stated that the pertussis situation is “not under control” as the number of cases continues to rise.
“We cannot say it’s under control because the cases are still increasing. However, many of us can take precautions to protect our babies,” Tayag added.
(el Amigo/MNM)
