While still waiting for advice from the City Health Office (CHO), Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy reminded the public anew to protect themselves and their children from contracting whooping cough.

 

‘Maybe we could resume wearing face masks (to protect ourselves and our children) even if there’s no outbreak yet. But it all depends on the City Health Office if they recommend that I issue an executive order mandating anew (the wearing of face masks in public),’ Mayor Klarex said in Visayan during Monday’s flag raising program.

 

Mayor Klarex issued the reminder days after City Health Officer Dr. Rachel Dilla called on the public before the Holy Week break to resume wearing face masks whenever possible.

 

Mayor Klarex said local governments across the country have declared outbreaks of whooping cough cases after registering double digit cases.

 

Quezon City logged 23 cases while Pasig City recorded 17 pertussis cases of whom two infants died as of March. Most of the victims were children.

 

While Iloilo City declared an outbreak after logging seven cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said last Wednesday that it recorded 568 cases from January to March 16 this year compared to 26 cases for the same period last year.

 

Of that number, about 40 children died of whooping cough. Despite this, the DOH said the public can still resume their normal routines but ‘wearing of face masks is highly encouraged.’

 

‘Cover coughs (with forearms) and choose well-ventilated areas,’ the DOH said in its website while urging the public to undergo vaccination.

 

The DOH declared a ‘Code Blue’ on all private and public hospitals nationwide due to the outbreaks of pertussis and measles cases.

 

In its website, the DOH said a code blue alert signifies intensified efforts on vaccination, community engagements, micronutrient supplementation and risk communication.

 

Dr. Dilla said while the outbreaks in other areas were ‘alarming’, whooping cough is a ‘vaccine preventable disease.’ ‘Problem is, ever since we achieved a high vaccination rate (from COVID-19) we had neglected to (vaccinate our children from other diseases),’ she said. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)