KENINGAU: Two toddlers from here contracted pertussis or whooping cough as they were not vaccinated, the Health Ministry said.
Ministry’s director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the two who are siblings were in a stable condition at the district hospital here.
"The toddlers, aged 2 years and 7 months, and 11 months, are foreigners.
"Both have never received inoculation on pertussis," he said in a statement, adding that the airborne disease caused by Bordetella pertussis spread when infected persons cough or sneeze.
A circular from state health department, which was recently issued, stated that the district health office requested to declare pertussis outbreak following the detection of the two cases from Taman Kota in Kampung Sungai here.
Noor Hisham said the two cases were an isolated incident and the public should not panic.
He said this could be prevented by ensuring 95 per cent of coverage on pertussis immunisation which the state health department had been actively supplementing immunisation at the locality.
Pertussis is preventable via complete immunisation provided at the age of 2, 3, 5 and 18 months.
"When fully immunised, children will only have minor symptoms and no complication if infected.
"On the contrary, non or partially vaccinated children are at risk of having symptoms such as prolonged cough between two weeks and two months, cyanosis (or turning blue), fit, inflammation of lungs and brain, or even death," he said.
The Health department has also been conducting health talks and distributing leaflets about the disease.
Adults or teenagers who have symptoms should cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, avoid from kissing young children and regular handwashing to prevent from spreading diseases to others.