The three confirmed positive pertussis cases in Bacolod City were all discharged from the hospitals in the city, Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office (CHO) Environmental Sanitation Division, said Thursday, April 11.
Tan said the three babies, two females, and one male, already recovered from pertussis, or whooping cough.
She said that in Morbidity Week 13, March 30, they sent four sample specimens to the Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas where three patients, all two months old, tested positive for pertussis and one was negative.
She added the three patients were residing at Barangays Taculing, Tangub, and Villamonte. They only received one dose of the Pentavalent vaccine because based on the national immunization program, this vaccine will be given to children aged six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks.
Tan noted that one of the factors of the pertussis cases was due to hot weather and the decrease in the vaccination status of the children.
She said the close contacts of confirmed cases were traced for antibiotics prophylaxis.
She said the barangay health workers were also tasked to conduct mapping within their areas of jurisdiction including the schools.
Aside from the Pentavalent vaccine, the CHO also intensified its campaign for the polio vaccine.*