CASES of pertussis or whooping cough in the country have further increased to almost 600 since January, far more than the number of cases during the same period in 2023.
The DOH said from January to March 16, 2024, a total of 568 cases of pertussis were recorded in the country with 40 deaths. Only 26 cases were reported during the same period last year.
It said 356 of the patients were children six months and below.
Of the total cases, 27 percent or 58 cases were in Metro Manila.
Calabarzon, Western Visayas, Mimaropa, and Central Visayas also had the most number of local government units with pertussis cases.
The DOH urged parents to have their children vaccinated against the highly contagious disease, noting that 270 of the babies who contracted the virus were unvaccinated.
“As of today, we see 3 million more ‘pentavalent’ vaccine doses arriving at the soonest possible time. These pentavalent vaccines protect not only against Pertussis, but also against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Hemophilus influenza type B,” it said in a statement on Tuesday, March 26. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)