Fierce feline causes tragedy in Peru: 15 children perish in Loreto, area experiencing deadliest outbreak in over a decade
Title: Peru grapples with a severe whooping cough outbreak in over a decade, criticized for slow response
Peru struggles with a major whooping cough outbreak:
In a sobering turn of events, Peru grapples with a whooping cough outbreak, surpassing the severity witnessed in over a decade. Per the Ministry of Health (MoH), a whopping 971 cases have been recorded nationwide – a staggering 3,032% increase compared to the same period last year. The distressingly high 16 confirmed deaths have left citizens in shock, with 15 fatalities occurring in Loreto. Heartbreakingly, the majority of these victims were young children under the age of 4.
Loreto bears the brunt of this health crisis. Out of the 971 cases reported across the country, an alarming 663 originate from this Amazonian region, consisting of 640 confirmed and 23 probable cases. The hardest-hit province is Datem del Marañón, reporting 604 infections and a troubling 12 deaths. The small Kandozi community, mainly situated in the Pastaza district, has mourned the loss of nine young lives, all under the age of 11.
Pastaza unfortunately records the most heavy impact, with 236 cases and 9 deaths. Other areas like Maynas (41 cases, 2 deaths) follow suit. Regrettably, an additional death was reported in Lima.
Late response from the Peruvian state:
Despite the gravity of an outbreak of this scale, the Peruvian government's response has been criticized as slow. Only on June 9th did the MoH announce the deployment of 17 sanitary brigades to six districts in Datem del Marañón. Just three days later, a sum of S/12.5 million was approved for containing the disease. However, these actions have been deemed reactive and insufficient.
Recent reports by the Comptroller's Office question the MoH's readiness. It's been found that the MoH had prepared its Institutional Operational Plan 2025 without setting specific immunization targets against whooping cough. Moreover, the projections of the Strategic Plan 2025-2030 fall below the 95% coverage recommended by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The document also raises concerns that the Action Plan for the Promotion of Immunizations has not been officially approved and that the statistics used to plan vaccination are based on dated information.
Vaccination coverage issues:
Regrettably, the situation in Pastaza supports these concerns. It's disclosed that only 22 babies under the age of one have received the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine. This is out of a total of 151 registered infants in the district. The situation is further complicated by the shortage of brigades, precarious cold chains, and the critical state of the health system in the Amazon.
Specialist Carlos Álvarez, collaborating at the Center for Prevention and Control of Diseases of the Regional Health Management (Geresa) of Loreto, admitted the gravity of the situation: "Many children have only received the first dose, but not the second or the booster. This leaves them extremely vulnerable," he warned.
Understanding whooping cough:
Whooping cough, commonly referred to as pertussis, is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. This disease primarily affects babies and young children, characterized by intense, persistent coughing fits that can persist for weeks. In the youngest, it can result in severe respiratory difficulty, convulsions, pneumonia, and even death.
The Peruvian vaccination scheme against the disease includes three doses of the pentavalent vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, plus two boosters with the DPT vaccine at 18 months and 4 years. It is also suggested that pregnant women receive a Tdap dose between 20 and 36 weeks to protect the newborn.
PAHO issues regional alert:
A regional alert was issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on May 31. It highlighted the increase in pertussis cases in various countries, such as Peru, and expressed concern over this being the strongest outbreak in Peruvian territory since 2012. The organization urged for the immediate intensification of epidemiological surveillance.
Nevertheless, the MoH has refused to declare a national epidemic, asserting that the cases are "localized and under active surveillance." Despite this stance, authorities face harsh criticism for the delayed response and the perceived lack of proactive actions.
Footnotes:
[1] Perú graves alerta: aumentan por más de 2.700% los casos de tos seca, detectándose 32 muertes, El Comercio, 2025.
[2] Outbreak of whooping cough hits Amazon region of Peru, Al Jazeera, 2025.
- The Peruvian government is under scrutiny for its slow response to the whooping cough outbreak, which is the most severe in over a decade.
- The Ministry of Health has reported 971 cases of whooping cough nationwide, with a shocking 3,032% increase compared to last year.
- Despite the high number of deaths, only 17 sanitary brigades were deployed by the government, attracting criticism for delayed action.
- The Comptroller's Office has found that the MoH's Operational Plan 2025 lacks specific immunization targets and fails to meet the recommended 95% coverage by the Pan American Health Organization.
- In Pastaza, only 22 out of 151 registered infants have received the third dose of the pentavalent vaccine, leaving many babies vulnerable to the disease.
- Whooping cough, caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, affects babies and young children, causing severe respiratory difficulty and even death in the youngest.
- The Peruvian vaccination scheme includes three doses of the pentavalent vaccine and additional boosters to protect against whooping cough.
- Pregnant women are also advised to receive a Tdap dose to protect their newborns.
- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued a regional alert due to the increasing number of pertussis cases in several countries, including Peru.
- The prolonged coughing fits associated with whooping cough can lead to complications such as pneumonia, convulsions, and eye, hearing, and respiratory conditions.
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