Whooping cough cases triple

March 12, 2009

Posted 6 hours 23 minutes ago

Map: Orange 2800

Cases of whooping cough in the Greater Western Area Health Service have more

than tripled in the past few months.

Previously, the highest number of cases reported in January and February was

37.

That has now skyrocketed to more than 115 reports of the potentially fatal

illness.

The health service's population health manager, Tony Brown, says doctors

cannot explain the sudden spike in both children and adults, which is being

experienced across New South Wales.

But he has warned that young children, especially babies, should be

vaccinated early.

" We're worried about the babies and children, " he said.

" They've got very small airways. When they get a coughing bout it's harder

for them to breathe.

" So they can get quite a serious illness indeed, whereas in adults whooping

cough tends to be nuisance rather than a life threatening condition. "

The NSW Department of Health will give free booster shots to adults who deal

closely with babies in a bid to curb the outbreak of whooping cough.

Mr Brown says vaccinating babies is the key to beating the sudden spike.

" We're not quite sure exactly why that is. It's something that's happening

across the state, " he said.

" Perhaps we're seeing whooping cough is a bit more common in adults than it

was.

" It's something with adults that is not always recognised they've got whooping

cough and perhaps it's being spread around, but we're not absolutely certain why

this year is particularly bad. "

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