Due to the Resurgence of Pertussis in Elementary, Middle, and High Schools,
Thorough Management of Cluster Cases and Close Cooperation with Related Agencies
The city of Guri, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Baek Kyung-hyun) announced on the 22nd that it is making every effort to block the spread of pertussis, which has recently shown a strong surge mainly among elementary, middle, and high school students, through thorough epidemiological investigations, confirmed case management, and strengthening close cooperation with facilities experiencing cluster outbreaks.
Pertussis has been spreading nationwide at an unprecedented rate this year, increasing 183 times compared to last year since June.
According to Guri City, as of November, about 140 confirmed cases have occurred, and especially considering that 65 cases were confirmed in October alone, pertussis, which had been in a lull during the summer vacation, is resurging.
Pertussis shows an incidence rate of 88.4% particularly among children under 12 and adolescents aged 13 to 19. Its initial symptoms resemble those of the common cold but are accompanied by severe paroxysmal coughing and a "whooping" sound lasting 2 to 4 weeks.
Although the national vaccination program administers a total of six doses from 2 months to 12 years of age, the recent surge is attributed to factors such as easy transmission in confined spaces like classrooms, decreased immunity after COVID-19, a sharp increase in testing due to the widespread use of PCR tests, and overseas importation.
Preventive measures include vaccination, hand washing, observing cough etiquette, indoor ventilation, and wearing masks. Prompt visits to medical institutions upon suspicion of symptoms are crucial.
Guri City is managing a total of 13 cluster outbreaks mainly centered around schools and academies, conducting on-site epidemiological investigations at the affected schools to check mask-wearing compliance, ventilation status, regular disinfection, and recommending irregular disinfection as well.
Additionally, the city is cooperating with school health officers to prevent further confirmed cases within schools.
Furthermore, to prevent infectious diseases, a regional network has been established among public health centers, childcare facilities, schools, and medical institutions, and through close cooperation among personnel from each institution, efforts are being made to block the spread of various infectious diseases.
Mayor Baek Kyung-hyun of Guri stated, “Compared to surrounding cities, counties, and districts, the incidence trend of pertussis in our jurisdiction is steep. We will do our best to break the chain of infection spread by conducting in-depth epidemiological investigations to estimate the source of infection and identify the causes of cluster outbreaks.”
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