The Department of Health aired a warning anew against diseases and other health risks associated with the summer season especially as some localities have reported alarming hikes in cases of certain illnesses.

During the Saturday News Forum, DOH Undersecretary and Spokesman, Dr. Eric Tayag underscored that the public must keep guard against what the agency calls as six “S,” referring to: Sunburn and heatstroke; Sore eyes; Sipon at ubo (colds and cough together with related ailments such as pertussis, influenza, etc.); Suka at pagdudumi or Stomach ailments (vomiting, gastroenteritis, diarrhea and others); Skin diseases; and Sagpang ng aso (bites of animals especially dogs, and the deadly rabies).

He particularly gave emphasis on the increase in cases of pertussis (locally called tuspirina) or whooping cough, which is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that manifests through influenza-like symptoms such as mild fever, colds, and coughs seven to 10 days after exposure.

The Quezon City government has declared an outbreak of pertussis after the LGU logged 23 cases and four deaths.

Pasig City has also been reported as having 17 confirmed whooping cough cases, with two deaths.

Dr. Tayag stated, “Ang tuspirina ay lubhang nakakahawang sakit – sanhi ito ng bacteria na Bordetella pertussis. Karaniwan ng mga nagkakasakit po nito ay mga baby at bata; at sa Quezon City, ang pinakabatang nai-report nila ay 23 days old… at ang median age, pangkaraniwan po ay wala pang dalawang taong gulang.”

“Yung baby, hindi mo naman aasahang uubo iyon so ang sintomas po nila ay sipon – magiging malapot iyong sipon. Kapag hindi napansin iyon at hindi nasungkit, maiintindihan ninyo kung bakit magiging hirap sa paghinga. Kung hindi ninyo binabantayan iyong baby ninyo at may sipon, hindi pa nabakunahan o kaya hindi kumpleto iyong bakuna, biglang titigil sa paghinga, talagang makikita ninyo hindi na tumataas-baba iyong dibdib, tapos mangingitim na iyong bibig.”

“So, ito ang maaaring mangyari: Itatakbo iyon sa ospital… oobserbahan iyan… kasi ang susunod diyan ay magkakaroon ng bronchopneumonia at iyon naman ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit may namamatay po sa tuspirina,” he further shared.

The DOH official clarified that adults could also get infected with pertussis.

“Dahil tayo ay puwede ring magkaroon ng tuspirina, iba rin naman iyong ating maaaring maramdaman… iba po ang sintomas. Naku, hindi ka makakatulog sa gabi sapagkat kumakahol ka – violent cough ang description doon. Tapos bago matapos iyon dahil hinahabol mo ang hininga mo, may pito kang maririnig bago matapos umubo kaya tinawag siyang whooping cough.”

“Ngayon iyong iba, dahil sa violent cough nga po iyon, iyong maliliit na ugat sa puti ng mata pumuputok po iyon. May iba pang nari-report napuputulan ng maliliit na tadyang kasi violent talaga iyong ubo, talagang parang magigiba yung dibdib mo at iyong iba naman ay nagkakaroon ng seizures o kaya pagkukumbulsiyon at naaapektuhan iyong utak,” he pointed out.

Dr. Tayag noted, “As of March 9, we have some 453 reported cases from the different parts of the country. Upon testing in the laboratory, 167 of these were confirmed cases. The highest number of cases were reported in Metro Manila, followed by CALABARZON or Southern Luzon and third was Central Visayas. Some 35 deaths from pertussis have been reported nationwide this year.”

He explained that the disease can be treated with antibiotics and prevented through vaccination.

“May bakuna po tayo, Pentavalent. Five-in-one iyon, kasama rito ang diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B at saka Haemophilus influenzae B. Ito po ay binibigay kapag six weeks na ang gulang ng baby at matapos ang isang buwan ay bibigyan ulit siya ng ineksiyon – pangkaraniwan po dahil baby pa sila, sa bandang hita ang ineksiyon. At pagkaraan ng isa pang buwan ay iyong pangatlo pong dose, kasi tatlo ang kailangan na maibigay para makumpleto iyong sa Pentavalent vaccine 5-in-1,” he added.

Dr. Tayag revealed that the DOH already sourced between 800,000 and one million doses of the vaccines for pertussis, and these are expected to arrive by June.

“What’s in our inventory has been provided by the DOH to Quezon City, consisting of 1,500 doses, which they can utilize while awaiting the new supply, which might arrive in June,” he said.

Dr. Tayag also aired warning on the rise of rabies cases in the country.

He said, “Alam ninyo, iyong rabies – 84 na ang namatay sa rabies this year. Kaya ingat po kayo. And be responsible pet owner din, lagyan ninyo ng leash o lubid iyang mga aso, hindi pagala-gala, at pabakunahan ninyo po iyang aso.”

“[If bitten by an animal], hugasan ninyo po kaagad ng tubig at sabon po iyon, kasi iyong laway po ng asong ulol nandoon po iyong virus ng rabies. Kapag hinugasan ninyo iyan marami na kayong natanggal na virus, pero may kumapit pa rin iyon. Kaya pupunta kayo sa Animal Bite Center, kasi kung malaki iyong sugat ninyo, doon namin ituturok iyong kalahati ng bakuna at iyong iba naman ay sa braso ninyo. Hanggang apat o limang beses kayong babalik, kasi yung una ay binibigay sa pagkonsulta ninyo. Tapos, after three days, seven days, fourteen days at twenty-eight days. Dapat makumpleto ninyo po iyon.”

“Kapag nagkaroon kayo ng rabies, yung virus ay gumagapang ng one inch per day papunta sa utak. Tapos, ilang months…, magkakaroon kayo ng hydrophobia – kapag nakita iyong tubig nanginginig kayo o kaya naman sa hangin ay mangingisay kayo. Tapos, nakakakilala kayo ngayon, mamaya ay hindi ninyo na nakikilala. Sa San Lazaro Hospital, yung ilang pasyente roon, kailangan itali, kasi2 talagang nagiging violent. Ayaw din namin na iyong mga pasyente ay may makagat na nurse o doctor.”

“The DOH is working hard to make the Philippines rabies-free like Japan, Australia and other countries that are now free from rabies,” Dr. Tayag concluded.

📷: Saturday News Forum