Tragedy as Whooping Cough Outbreak Kills 11 Children in Kano

According to a statement issued by the Information Officer of Kiru Local Government council, in Kano State, at least 11 children have died of whooping cough at Kankwana community in the state.

The officer, Malam Rabiu Khalil also revealed that about 40 other children affected by the same disease were receiving medical attention.

Malam Hassan Adamu, the council’s Health Officer, who also confirmed the incidence to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however assured of government’s effort to contain the outbreak.

A representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the area, a Malam Yakubu Sani, attributed the outbreak to poor routine immunisation and inadequate health mobilisation activities.

Meanwhile, the District Head of the area, Alhaji Hamza Bayero, urged government to provide emergency medical care to residents to prevent further spread of the deadly disease.

About six children had lost their lives to measles in Dashi community of the same local government area in the past two months.

According to Community Health, Whooping cough also known as Pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is a serious infection that spreads easily from person to person through airborne germs from the nose and throat.

While infants have the greatest chance of getting whooping cough, the illness can be contracted at any age. The disease causes uncontrollable, violent coughing spells that makes it hard to breathe, eat, or sleep.

Symptoms/Signs of Pertussis/ Whooping cough
At first the symptoms appear mild and resemble those of a common cold, such as:

Cough
Fever
Nasal congestion
Red, watery eyes
Runny nose

After a week or two, signs and symptoms worsen. Thick mucus accumulates inside your airways, causing uncontrollable coughing and the symptom become severe and prolonged coughing.

Cause extreme fatigue
End with a high-pitched Whoop sound during the next breath of air
Provoke vomiting
Result in a red or blue face

Complications of Whooping cough

Bruised or cracked ribs
Abdominal hernias
Broken blood vessels in the skin or the whites of youreyes
The worst complication is death.

Whooping cough can be prevented by immunization with the pertussis vaccine. Since immunity from the pertussis vaccine wears off with time, many teenagers and adults get whooping cough.

So for maximum protection against pertussis, children need five DTaP shots. The first three vaccinations are given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. The fourth vaccination is given between 15-18 months of age, and a fifth is given when a child enters school, at 4-6 years of age.