Whooping cough epidemic: 13 whooping cough cases in Tairāwhiti since November

Immunisation is the best protection against whooping cough. New Zealand is currently caught in a whooping cough epidemic.

Tairāwhiti has recorded 13 cases of whooping cough and one baby has been hospitalised since a national epidemic was declared in November.

National Public Health Service public health medicine specialist Dr Matt Reid said 1232 cases had been notified across the nation from October 19 to January 10, and 101 of those affected had been hospitalised.

Three infants had died nationwide in 2023 from whooping cough, he said.

A national epidemic was declared on November 22 following a sustained increase in cases throughout New Zealand beginning on October 19.

Details released by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) for the period between December 14 and January 10 showed Tairāwhiti recorded seven cases in that timeframe, but no one required hospital care.

Those seven cases equated to 13.3 cases per 100,000 people in the local population, which ranked Tairāwhiti sixth out of 20 health board areas.

The five areas with the highest rates of whooping cough cases were the West Coast, with 16 cases at 48.6 cases per 100,000; Whanganui, with 12 cases at 17.1 per 100,000; Hawke’s Bay, with 28 cases at 15.2 per 100,000; and Southern (Otago/Southland), with 52 cases at 14.4 per 100,000.

The regions with the lowest rate was South Canterbury, with just three cases, and Counties Manukau with six cases at 1.3.

“The best protection for you and your whānau against whooping cough is to get vaccinated – particularly pregnant people, pēpi, tamariki and older adults who are at higher risk," Reid said.

The whooping cough pregnancy vaccine is free and is best given from 16 weeks of pregnancy.

The vaccine should also be given with each instance of pregnancy to protect each baby.

The Gisborne Herald asked Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti for immunisation rates at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months old, along with whether immunisation rates or disinformation was a concern.

A spokeswoman said information on immunisation rates “was not at hand”.

In the period from December 14 to January 10, notification rates were highest among infants aged less than 1 year (36 cases, 63.0 per 100,000), followed by children aged 1-4, with 58 cases, 23.7 per 100,000.

The ethnic group with the highest notification rate was Māori (109 cases, 12.5 per 100,000), followed by European or other (241 cases, 7.5 per 100,000), and Pasifika peoples (25 cases, 7.1 per 100,000).

Reid said parents or caregivers should seek medical advice for their tamariki if they have a cough that ends with a “whoop” sound or vomiting.

“Whooping cough in pēpi is unpredictable and can get worse very quickly.”

Parents should also seek urgent medical advice if their pēpi:

• Stops breathing
• Goes blue with coughing
• Appears to have a cold, then a cough, and has difficulty breathing
• Gets exhausted from coughing
• Is not able to feed properly because of coughing and difficulty breathing
• Loses weight because of difficulty feeding and because the cough causes them to vomit