The Ministry of Health in St. Lucia has developed certain strategies in order to help prevent a full blown outbreak of whooping cough in the island, after two cases of the disease were confirmed.
According to the St. Lucia News Online, the ministry will be launching an intensified ‘Immunization Drive’ immediately, aimed at capturing and protecting all children who may have missed or who may not have been immunized.
One child aged 4 weeks old and a second child aged 5 months old are currently admitted and receiving treatment in hospital for the whopping cough and are reported to be doing well.
Whooping cough is a serious, contagious, respiratory infection caused by a bacterium. The disease begins like a cold and then the characteristic cough develops. It is particularly dangerous for babies less than six months of age.
