According to media outlets, Portugal has two confirmed cases of Whooping Cough (Pertussis).
Public Health officials are urging doctors to be on the lookout for suspicious symptoms, which include a runny nose, red watery eyes, low-grade fever, cough, that can become uncontrollable, a high-pitched intake of breath after each cough, fatigue, and vomiting due to excessive coughing.
With thousands of diagnoses across Europe and the death of six babies (Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands) concerns for this once thought eradicated infection are escalating.
Symptoms of Pertussis develop 7-10 days after infection.
Infants may not display typical symptoms like a cough, but Pertussis may result in shortness of breath or in extreme cases the child may temporarily stop breathing.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
