DOH on rising pertussis cases: We're concerned, but not surprised

Even as the cases of pertussis continuously increase in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday it is not surprised by the developments, as cases are still expected to decrease in a few weeks after the vaccination efforts have been ramped up. 

DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said that it would take 4 to 6 weeks after the start of the intensified vaccination before cases of the highly contagious “whooping cough” may start to decline.

“Ang importante sa amin is ‘yung trend. Tinitignan namin, naalala niyo nung COVID meron tayong epidemic curve, so ganun pa rin ‘yun, it’s the same principle... Sa ngayon, mukhang nagtataas pa rin siya but we are not surprised,” Domingo said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(What is important to us is the trend. We are looking at the epidemic curve, just like during the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, it looks like the cases are still increasing but we are not surprised.)

“We are concerned but not surprised kasi nagsimula tayong mag intensify ng bakunahan mga two weeks ago lang nung nag-alarm kami nung una. It takes around 4-6 weeks bago makita natin ang pagbagsak ng mga kaso. ‘Yun ang binabantayan natin,” he added.

(We’re concerned but not surprised because we started intensifying the vaccination only two weeks ago when we first raised the alarm. It takes around 4-6 weeks before we see a decrease in cases. That's what we're looking at.)

Pertussis cases

According to the DOH, pertussis starts as a mild cough and cold that lasts about two weeks, followed by “paroxysms or fits of coughing” which lasts up to six weeks.

Patients can also experience vomiting immediately after coughing, and fever, while infants may turn cyanotic or bluish when coughing.

The DOH’s latest data showed that a total of 1,112 cases have been recorded nationwide from January 1 to March 30, 2024.

This was almost 34 times higher than the 32 cases recorded during the same period last year.

Fifty-four people have also died this year due to pertussis. Domingo said all of them involved children aged less than 5 years old.

Vaccines

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa announced Monday that there may be a shortage of pertussis vaccines in May amid the outbreak of the respiratory infection in some parts of the country.

As of March 25, the DOH said the national government’s pentavalent vaccine stocks “are running low” at only 64,400 doses.

The three million doses of pentavalent vaccine which the DOH ordered may still arrive in June.

“Ang priority natin talaga, hindi tayo dapat magkaron ng gap. The good news is ginagamit [ang vaccines]. But the alarming or shall we say alerting news is paubos na,” Domingo said.

(Our priority is for us not to have a gap. The good news is the vaccines are being used. But the alarming or shall we say alerting news is the stocks are getting exhausted.)

The pentavalent or the 5-in-1 vaccine gives protection against pertussis, as well as diphtheria, tetanus, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type B.

As stocks of the pentavalent vaccine are seen to get depleted next month, DOH said it would procure an older type of vaccine called DPT, which could only fight off diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

The private sector also has remaining stocks of the pentavalent and TDaP vaccines, which could be acquired for a fee. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News