The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said cases of pertussis nationwide hit more than 1,500.

In a televised briefing, DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Francis Domingo said that a total of 1,566 persons have been affected by pertussis nationwide.

Domingo said the DOH is not yet seeing the cases going down anytime soon.

"We look at the trend, kapag tinitingnan natin iyong mga ganitong diseases – pertussis o ang tuspirina, nasa upward trend pa rin po tayo (We look at the trend, when we look at these diseases - pertussis or tuspirina, we are still in an upward trend)," he said.

"So hindi pa natin nakikita yung downward trend, inaantay pa natin na pumasok yung epekto noong pagbabakuna (So we haven't seen the downward trend yet, we are still waiting for the effect of the vaccination to kick in)," he added.

Domingo said the agency is still waiting for the arrival of three million doses of the pentavalent 5-in-1 vaccines that are set to arrive "as soon as possible."

He also bared that the DOH also procured 5.1 million doses on top of the three million as they are foreseeing the shortage of vaccines in May.

Domingo reiterated that pertussis if preventable and reminded the parents of those children who are yet to be vaccinated to not expose them to other children.

The Health official also reminded the elderlies to wet a face mask and wash their hands when interacting with children.

"Kapag nagsuot po tayo ng face mask, dapat po lapat sa ating ilong, yung nose bridge at yung gilid ay natatakpan. Wag po yung parang nakapatong lang or yung nakababa (When we wear a face mask, it should fit over our nose, your nose bridge and your sides are covered - don't look like you're just sitting on top or down)," he added.