Whooping cough cases increase in the Great Southern

WA Country Health Service is continuing its response to an increase in whooping cough cases in the Great Southern, with public health teams working to manage the spread.

Also called pertussis, whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial disease that can be life threatening for babies and young children.

It spreads easily through droplets from coughing or sneezing and can cause uncontrollable coughing and difficulty breathing.

Symptoms can include a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, mild fever and an initial mild cough that worsens into severe coughing that may produce a ‘whooping’ sound when inhaling.

If you, your baby or your child are experiencing symptoms, see your GP for assessment and treatment - such as antibiotics - as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of whooping cough to others.

WA Country Health Service Consultant Public Health Medicine Dr Alex Shivarev said everyone is at risk of catching whooping cough.

“Infants and people with a weakened immune system are most at risk,” he said.

“The best way to protect yourself and others is to make sure you are up to date with pertussis-containing vaccines.”

The whooping cough vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program for:

• Babies and children (at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 18 months and 4 years).
• Adolescents (in year 7 at school).
• Pregnant people (during each pregnancy).

“Newborns are at greatest risk of severe illness from whooping cough,” Dr Shivarev said.

“For expectant parents, by getting vaccinated, preferably between 20 to 32 weeks gestation, protection will be passed on to the bub when they are born.”

Dr Shivarev encourages adults who haven’t received a pertussis-containing vaccine in the past 10 years to consider getting a booster dose, especially if they may come across newborn babies.

“If you’re unsure if you’ve had a whooping cough vaccine recently, check your Australian Immunisation Register record, or speak with your healthcare provider to see if you are due a dose.”

WA Country Health Service Executive Director for the Great Southern region, Evelyn Quinn said stopping the spread is a whole of community effort.

“It’s very important that everyone makes sure they, and their children, are up to date with their vaccinations. Immunity to whooping cough wanes between five to ten years, so adults also need to have regular boosters,” she said.

“The majority of infections are concentrated in Albany, but all other areas in the Great Southern have reported cases as well. The more people that are immunised, the better our chances are of stopping the spread, which will keep everyone - especially those most at risk - safe from severe illness.”

The whooping cough vaccine is available through Community Health Services, GPs, participating pharmacies and the Great Southern Aboriginal Health Service.

Some providers may charge a small service fee, so it’s important to call ahead and check.

For more information visit Healthy WA.

Visit Access Health – Where to go when - Immunisation in WA to find your nearest provider.