00:00 The outbreak of whooping cough in Quezon City has already increased.
00:04 This is a type of respiratory disease that is dangerous for children, especially for infants.
00:10 Mark Salazar is a witness.
00:12 27 cases of whooping cough or pertussis were recorded in Quezon City in 2023.
00:20 Three were recovered.
00:22 In the first three months of 2024, the cases of whooping cough or pertussis in Quezon City continued to rise.
00:29 The local government has already declared an outbreak.
00:33 As of March 20 this year, we already recorded 23 cases of pertussis.
00:40 What is more heartbreaking is this acute infectious disease has claimed the lives of four babies.
00:49 Their age ranging from 23 days to 60 days.
00:54 That is why we need to declare that we have a pertussis outbreak in Quezon City.
01:02 Pertussis is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria.
01:06 It is more deadly to children, especially to infants.
01:10 The symptoms are that the baby is being breastfed.
01:13 Usually, babies are breastfed for more than two weeks.
01:17 And it is difficult to breathe.
01:20 So babies are mostly affected.
01:23 Some babies, after giving birth, sometimes the baby is coughing.
01:30 That is our description.
01:32 There are already cases of pertussis in five districts of Quezon City.
01:36 But in Barangay Payatas B, the epidemiology and surveillance of the City Health Department is in place.
01:43 It is not said that the infection started here.
01:46 But this is where the number one case was recorded this year.
01:50 They had an infection.
01:53 So St. Thomas also had an infection.
01:56 On March 8, the twin sister also tested positive for the pertussis.
02:02 The infection was already there.
02:04 Unfortunately, one of the twins died.
02:08 Two other siblings of case number one also had symptoms.
02:12 The LGU quarantined the household that was full of pertussis.
02:17 But the LGU clarified that the outbreak cannot be brought back to the barangay wide or street wide lockdown.
02:24 We only quarantined the household and there are longer contacts in our case.
02:30 So that is what we are quarantining.
02:33 We are issuing a quarantine order, an isolation order to the family.
02:38 It is easy to get the pertussis if it is available.
02:42 But it spreads quickly if there are many unvaccinated people in the community.
02:46 According to QCLGU, they have a problem with the vaccine.
02:50 Quezon City needs more than 42,000 doses of the Pantavalent vaccine to stop the spread of the disease.
02:58 But the Department of Health said that the supply will arrive by July.
03:03 So they are looking for other suppliers.
03:05 There is nothing to panic about for now.
03:08 They are reminding us to be careful just like during COVID.
03:13 Always wash your hands, sit and lie on your arms.
03:17 Wear a face mask and self-quarantine if you have symptoms.
03:21 According to the Department of Health, 453 cases of whooping cough were recorded in the first 10 weeks of the year
03:29 compared to 23 cases at the same time in 2022.
03:33 For GMA Integrated News, I am Mark Salazar, your witness.
03:40 Kapuso, let's be witnesses together!
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03:54 ♪
