Whooping cough case puts physicians on alert

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - Public Health reports that there is a confirmed case of Pertussis (more commonly known as "whooping cough"). The case was found in a 5-month-old infant who had not received any vaccination. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory tract caused by bacteria that lasts for many weeks.

It's typically found in children who get spasms of severe coughing, whooping and vomiting that lasts for more than two weeks. It is transmitted by direct contact with discharged from respiratory secretions by air or contact with an infected person.

Public Health issued an alert to all physicians as the spread of the disease is likely.