Parents issued urgent warning as cases of infectious disease soar
The disease is most dangerous for babies.
Parents have been issued an urgent warning to get their children vaccinated after cases of whooping cough have rapidly increased over the last year. The highly contagious disease is most dangerous for babies but can cause serious illness in people of all ages.
South Australia has recorded a six-year-high in reported cases, after 492 reports of whooping cough were recorded this year, compared to just 48 cases in 2023.
South Australia's Chief Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said vaccination and re-vaccination was recommended for some: She said: "Anyone who will be spending time around infants less than six months of age should consider getting themselves a booster.
"Many people who have had the vaccine may not realise that immunity wanes over time," she told the Mail Online.
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The health officer also encouraged pregnant women to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their babies. Health officials recommend expecting mothers to get the vaccine at 20 to 32 weeks of their pregnancy.
Children aged eighteen months, two, four and six are also eligible to receive the vaccination. According to the National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard, more than 25,600 cases of whooping cough have been recorded across the whole of Australia so far, with the most cases detected in NSW, then Queensland and Victoria.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but basic health measures are also encouraged to reduce the risk of infection. This includes things such as covering your nose and mouth while sneezing and coughing and washing hands regularly.
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Professor Spurrier urged people to stay at home if they contracted whooping cough, saying: "Please stay home from work or school if you are sick, to prevent the spread of illnesses like whooping cough to others."
Symptoms of the disease include typical flu-like symptoms - cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a low-grade fever. Then, sufferers are met with a dry and persistent cough, that lasts around a week and makes a 'whoop' sound.
In severe cases, the symptoms can be very serious. Whooping cough can result in pneumonia, bleeding into the nose, eyes or brain and brain damage.
