"Be Sure to Get Vaccinated Against Whooping Cough" ... Changwon Special City Holds Meeting on Second-Class Infectious Disease Measures

Masan Health Center in Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, held a meeting with seven related organizations including the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Gyeongsangnam-do Infectious Disease Control Division, Changwon Office of Education, and Children's Hospital to prevent the spread of a pertussis outbreak and discuss future countermeasures.

At the meeting held on the 21st, it was reported that pertussis, a second-class infectious disease, has been spreading among elementary school students in the area since October. They urged adherence to personal hygiene rules to prevent respiratory infections.

Scene from the pertussis prevention meeting.

Pertussis is an acute respiratory disease caused by infection with the Bordetella pertussis bacterium. The main symptom is coughing, which initially appears as mild upper respiratory infection symptoms and can be easily mistaken for a common cold. However, as the disease progresses to the middle stage, paroxysmal coughing accompanied by vomiting occurs.

Patients diagnosed with pertussis must be isolated for five days from the start of taking pertussis-related antibiotics. Additionally, among contacts, household members or high-risk groups (infants under 12 months, immunocompromised individuals, patients with moderate or severe asthma, and chronic lung disease patients) must take preventive antibiotics. If there is no vaccination history, vaccination is essential to prepare for future infections.

Lee Ji-ryeon, Director of Masan Health Center, stated, “As a result of the meeting, pertussis vaccination is essential to mitigate and prevent the spread of pertussis. Since costs are not supported except for the standard vaccination, citizen participation is currently the most important factor. We ask for your great interest.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.