First Case of Whooping Cough Confirmed in Los Santos Province

The province of Los Santos confirmed its first positive case of whooping cough in a 26-year-old male patient, who remains in stable condition, health authorities reported. Juan Carlos Andrade, head of Public Health for the Los Santos Health Region, indicated that the patient did not have an updated vaccination schedule and that the disease was acquired in another province. The head of Public Health reiterated the importance of vaccination as the main measure of prevention against whooping cough, highlighting that this vaccine is administered from childhood, starting in young children, and subsequently requires boosters every 10 years. As part of the health protocol, preventive treatment was also provided to the patient's closest contacts, who were given the corresponding tests, which have so far yielded negative results. Whooping cough begins like a common cold, with symptoms such as general malaise and nasal secretions, but it can evolve into a severe cough that compromises breathing, representing a significant health risk. He urged the population to check their vaccination card and go to health centers to keep their schedule updated, as many adults in adulthood omit these boosters and remain exposed. Therefore, he reiterated that the ideal is for the entire population to be properly vaccinated to achieve herd immunity and prevent the spread of this preventable disease. Currently, the province of Los Santos maintains a vaccination coverage of over 90%; however, Andrade warned that the lack of updating the schedule in the adult population weakens collective protection. Likewise, an epidemiological investigation was carried out in the homes and in the places where the affected person was, with the aim of identifying possible people with respiratory symptoms and determining if there were other infections, a situation that has not been registered to date. After confirmation of the diagnosis through laboratory tests, the corresponding antibiotic treatment was initiated immediately for a period of five days.