BACOLOD CITY, April 2 -- The Provincial Health Office (PHO) in Negros Occidental has sent specimens of six more suspected pertussis or whooping cough cases for confirmation to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday the latest monitored cases came after a confirmed patient, a two-month-old baby girl, recovered after being admitted to a hospital.

"The sample was sent like three weeks ago. It takes a while before we get the results. More recently, we have sent six samples. In the meantime, they are taking care of these patients," he told reporters.

Lacson said that Negrenses "should be conscious that this is not an ordinary cough".

"We advise the wearing of masks in enclosed spac...