BREAKING NEWS: St. Lucia Ministry of Health issues whooping cough alert

So far, six suspected cases have been identified, with two of those cases being confirmed as having the disease.

All of the cases have been treated and have done well. The pateints, one child aged four-weeks and the second child aged five-months are currently admitted and receiving treatment in hospital.

These antibiotics are available at all health facilities in St Lucia. The Ministry of Health has been in communication with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) as well as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), which are assisting in the island’s response.

Whooping cough is a respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

The disease usually starts like a common flu with runny nose, which may develop further if not treated with the appropriate antibiotics.

Infants and young children are more severely affected and can suffer bouts of coughing that end with a “whooping sound.”

Whooping cough is a vaccine preventable disease. As such, parents are reminded to ensure that all children, and in particular, very young children have received their full course of vaccinations.

This disease spreads like the common flu and as such can be prevented by being adequately immunized, by observing flu hygiene measures such as covering coughs, frequent hand washing, and by limiting contact with other persons when ill.

Adults who have not received the DPT vaccine can also get infected, but the disease is usually milder in teens and adults.

However, an infected teen or adult can spread the disease to younger children who have not been fully immunized.

In an effort to ensure that a full blown outbreak of Whooping Cough is prevented, the Ministry of Health will be launching an intensified Immunization Drive to locate and protect all children who may have missed or who may not have been immunized.

With immediate effect, several changes have been made to reduce the risk of further spread of this disease.

The changes include: active search by community health teams for persons – particularly children less than five years of age, who have not received the required vaccination coverage; expanding vaccination services such that walk-ins can be immunized at wellness centres daily, rather than only at once weekly vaccination clinics; thorough investigation of all suspected and confirmed cases of disease; as well as the promotion of flu hygiene practices particularly within locations where infants and young children routinely congregate.