The city government of Iloilo has declared a pertussis or whooping cough outbreak on Monday, March 25.
In its press release, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council declared the outbreak following recommendations from the city government's Health and Sanitation Cluster and the City Health Office (CHO).
As of March 24, the CHO said there are seven confirmed cases of pertussis out of the 13 reported cases in the city.
Headed by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, the council passed two resolutions, one is declaring on outbreak on pertussis and the other one, recommending to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) the declaration of a state of calamity due to the disease.
The city mayor said he will make an urgent request to the SP, which is expected to hold a special session Tuesday, for the approval of the declaration.
“We need to access funds coming from the calamity fund; we cannot access it unless there is a declaration of the state of calamity,” Treñas explained.
With the declaration, a proposed budget of P16-million has also been approved during the council meeting for the needed measures and responses against pertussis. A big chunk of the fund will go for the procurement of medicines and vaccines.
“If necessary, we will add more funds,” Treñas added.
CHO data shows that three of the confirmed cases are from Molo, two from Jaro 1, and one each from Jaro II and Arevalo.
According to CHO Asst. Department Head Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, a total of 26,000 children aged 0 to 59 months old from the districts of Jaro, Molo and Arevalo are projected for vaccination.
Last week, the Quezon City government also declared a pertussis outbreak after logging 23 cases in the city.
Citing the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the QCESD defined pertussis as a contagious disease in the lungs caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis.
The disease may be passed on when an infected person sneezes or coughs and transfers the bacteria to other people.
