New Zealand is in the early stages of a whooping cough epidemic, the Ministry of Health has announced.
A growing number of cases from around the country have included two reported from the Ashburton District for the week to November 15, and six reported from the district in July.
Latest ESR reporting nationwide shows that following spikes in May, June and July, whooping cough, or pertussis, cases steadily increased since September, the ministry said in a statement.
In the four weeks to November 15 there were 263 cases – the highest number of cases over a four-week period to date for all of 2024.
Director of Public Health, Dr Nicholas Jones, said a number of countries were experiencing record levels, possibly due to lower infection rates during the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Zealand should be prepared to see similarly high levels over the next 12 months or more and, as in previous epidemics, Ma ¯ori and Pacific pe ¯pi will be most affected.
‘‘Our main concern with this epidemic is the risk of severe illness among babies either too young to be immunised or whose immunisations are delayed. Our key objective is to protect pe ¯pi through on time vaccination and immunisation during pregnancy.
‘‘Even in countries with very high levels of immunisation, epidemics still occur every few years, but the numbers of babies who get very sick is much lower when mothers have been vaccinated during pregnancy, and when pe ¯pi are vaccinated on time,’’ Dr Jones says.
National clinical director Dr Susan Jack at Health New Zealand said the National Public Health Service is well prepared to manage the epidemic.
A national response team stood up to coordinate and support activity across public health services.
‘‘Our last major outbreak of pertussis was in 2017, but they can last for months and potentially for a year or more, so this will be a marathon, not a sprint.’’
Dr Jack said healthcare professionals should remain vigilant for people presenting with symptoms and to continue to promote on-time vaccinations to protect vulnerable groups.
‘‘Whooping cough is a highly contagious illness that can be particularly dangerous for newborn babies, and older adults, and in some cases it can be fatal. Sadly, three babies died from whooping cough last year, and we want to avoid that happening again,’’ she said.
About 50 per cent of pepi who catch whooping cough before the age of 12 months need hospitalisation and one or two in 100 of those hospitalised pepi died from the infection.
‘‘The best protection for infants is for their mother to be vaccinated during pregnancy. The antenatal vaccination for pertussis is safe and free.’’
For more information, or to book your vaccination, phone the Vaccination Healthline free 0800282926.
Symptoms:
Blocked or runny nose
Sneezing
A mild fever
Ongoing spasms of coughing.
