Amid the rising number of pertussis cases in the National Capital Region (NCR), the San Juan City local government in partnership with the Department of Health’s Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) conducted a town hall meeting and infant immunization against the disease on Monday, March 25.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora observes the routine 5-in-1 immunization against Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (HiB) for children aged 0-23 months at the San Juan City Hall.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora together with DOH-MMCHD Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) head Dr. Manuel Mapue II led the program held at the atrium of the San Juan City Hall.
The town hall meeting aims to educate San Juaneños as well as city and barangay officials on the importance of routine immunization against pertussis, which is provided for free at local health centers and stations.
“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa inyong pagpunta sapagkat siguro nakikita sa balita nitong mga nakaraang araw na kumakalat ang pertussis. Kaya minabuti naming makipag-ugnayan sa Department of Health upang maturuan tayo at mabigyan ng tamang impormasyon tungkol sa sakit na ito, paano ito maiiwasan. Mahalaga na matutunan natin ito dahil bilang barangay officials, city officials, tayo naman ang tutulong para umabot ang impormasyon sa ating mamamayan (I am extending my gratitude for everyone who came here today to discuss about the rising number of pertussis cases in the past days. Hence, we opted to coordinate with the Department of Health to give us proper information regarding this disease and how to prevent it. It is important for barangay and city officials to be knowledgeable about this because we are the ones who will disseminate this information to our constituents)," Zamora stressed.
Mapue discussed about the treatment and prevention of pertussis during the town hall meeting, explaining that most individuals contracting the disease are children aged 1-year-old and below.
"Ito po ay lubos na nakakahawa at nakakamatay. Nakakahawa po siya sa pamamagitan ng droplets, talsik ng laway, at secretion sa ilong (This disease is highly contagious and may cause death. It may spread through droplets, saliva, and nose secretion)," Mapue said.
According to the official, there were 111 pertussis cases in Metro Manila up until March 16.
"Last year po, dalawa lang ang kaso natin sa buong Metro Manila. Kung susumain ninyo, mahigit 5,000 beses ang itinaas ng kaso. Kung ikukumpara naman sa nakalipas na limang taon, tumaas tayo ng 900 times sa buong Metro Manila. Sa San Juan naman po, 2 lang ang kaso sa inyong lungsod at last year wala po tayong kaso. Yung 2 kaso ng San Juan ay buhay po naman (Last year, there were only two cases in the whole Metro Manila. If you will examine closely, there was a 5,000 times increase in the number of cases. If you will compare this in the past five years, there was a 900 times increase in the whole Metro Manila. Here in San Juan, there are two cases of pertussis in your city while last year there was none. Both cases are alive," he noted.
Following the event, a routine immunization drive for children aged 0-23 months was conducted, administering the 5-in-1 vaccine against diptheria, pertussis, tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B (HiB). This effort seeks to reassure parents of the safety and significance of vaccines in safeguarding the well-being of their children.
The Department of Health will also procure booster shots against pertussis and will be distributed to the different cities.
Mapue said one of the agency's suggestions is for people living in one household to wear masks, as well as observe other preventive measures such as the use of wipes and disposing it in the proper disposal areas to prevent the spread of the bacteria.
For his part, Zamora called on the parents to have their children vaccinated against this disease.
Pertussis, also known as the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis with initial symptoms usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough. However, these are followed by two or three months of severe coughing fits.
Following a fit of coughing, a high-pitched whoop sound or gasp may occur as the person breathes in. The violent coughing may last for 10 or more weeks, hence the phrase "100-day cough."
Patients infected with the disease may cough so hard that it causes vomiting, rib fractures, and fatigue. Children less than one year old may experience little or no cough at all and instead have periods where they cannot breathe.