The Department of Health has issued an alert about increased rates of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, among school aged children in the Top End.
Director of the Centre for Disease Control, Dr Vicki Krause, said there have been 133 confirmed cases of pertussis in the Territory since January. Of these, 120 had been in the Darwin and Palmerston area. Most cases were in children 10-12 years old.
“Pertussis can affect any age group,” Dr Krause said.
“Children and adults can transmit the infection to infants before they are fully protected by vaccination. These infants are at risk of severe disease and often require hospitalisation.
“Infants are the group who really need protection from well vaccinated families and the community,” Dr Krause said.
In the Territory infants receive a pertussis vaccination at six weeks, four months and six months of age. They should receive boosters at 18 months, four years and 13 years.
Pregnant women get a pertussis vaccination from 28 weeks of pregnancy for each and every pregnancy to provide protection to the new born baby. The pertussis vaccine is also free for expectant fathers if they have not received a pertussis vaccination in the last 10 years.
“The best prevention for pertussis is vaccination,” Dr Krause said.
In certain situations we recommend preventative antibiotics for infants under six months, pregnant women and other people that have been exposed to pertussis and who could pass on the infection to those ‘at risk’.
Pertussis usually starts with cold-like symptoms, including an irritating cough. The cough gradually changes over a period of 1-2 weeks into bouts of coughing. These often cause breathing difficulties and vomiting.
People with infectious pertussis should stay away from work, school and childcare until they have completed five days of appropriate antibiotics.
It is important to ensure your child is fully up to date with his or her immunisations against pertussis.
For further information on pertussis and immunisation contact your GP, health clinic or the NT Centre for Disease Control.
More information on the infection and how best to deal with it can be found on the Pertussis factsheet.
Media contact: Fred McCue 0401 119 792