BAGUIO CITY – This city recorded five confirmed cases of pertussis or whooping cough from February 19 to March 27.
Acting City Health Officer Celia Flor Brillantes said the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit under the City Health Services Office confirmed these cases on February 19 and 27, March 6 and 13, and March 27.
"As of now there is no clustering of cases but we are awaiting for additional confirmation of the last cases of admission last week numbering four cases," Brillantes said.
The CESU logged 23 suspected cases from January to present, of which five were confirmed, 15 were negative, and three are pending.
Close surveillance of new suspected cases is being conducted since last week.
The CHSO said that four out of the five cases are vaccinated but they are too young to develop immunity and protection and the fifth is unvaccinated due to age ineligibility.
The agency reminded the people to be inoculated against pertussis.
"Vaccines may not provide 100 percent protection against diseases, but they can prevent severe symptoms and death," the department said.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong here said that while there is still no cause for alarm, residents need to be on guard against the disease which has been causing outbreaks in different parts of the country.