Health authorities have confirmed a growing outbreak of whooping cough that is also impacting the Eastern Bay of Plenty, with at least one primary school notifying its community of a case.

“We have got an epidemic of whooping cough.

“A national epidemic was declared in about October last year,” said Dr Phil Shoemack, Medical Officer of Health for Toi Te Ora Public Health.

Apanui School confirmed yesterday that three students had contracted the illness.

Although this may seem like a small number, health officials stress that it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“There will be many more than that in the Eastern Bay,” said Dr Shoemack. “Hardly a day goes by when we don’t get one or two new cases notified to us from somewhere around the Bay of Plenty.”

Since a national epidemic was declared late last year, more than 300 cases of whooping cough (pertussis) have been reported across the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts. Over 30 people have been hospitalised, including 20 this year.

Whooping cough, which goes by the medical name pertussis, is also called “the hundred-day cough”.

“This name explains a little bit more about it. It is more than just a cough that doesn’t go away; it can persist for that long,” said Dr Shoemack.

Dr Shoemack said it was important to get a persistent cough checked by a medical professional.

“Unfortunately, especially for adults, they will get a bit of a cough but won’t be acutely unwell, so by the time they go to a doctor and get diagnosed, they have already spread it to others.

“If somebody in your household has developed a cough that seems a little bit unusual and it is persisting, it is not going away, you need to seek medical attention. Don’t wait for weeks and weeks before you seek attention, phone your general practitioner or go to an after-hours service, both for your own peace of mind but also, hopefully, to put steps in place to help you stop spreading it to others.”

Dr Shoemack said young children, particularly those under a year old, were most at risk from pertussis and often needed hospitalisation.

“In some cases, they need quite intensive care.”

Dr Shoemack said other than isolating people when they are sick, immunisation is the best protection from whooping cough.

Rotorua Hospital paediatrician Dr Danny de Lore said tamariki living in communities where the immunisation rates were low were at the highest risk.  

“We’re seeing preventable hospitalisations. We know immunisation is the most effective protection, particularly for young children and hapū māmā,” said Dr de Lore.

“As a population we really need to keep high levels of vaccination,” said Dr Shoemack. “We really need to get to about 95 percent of the population vaccinated against whooping cough. We are now somewhere in the low 80s.”

Vaccinations are free for babies, children, pregnant women, and others at risk.

The best protection for babies is for their mother to get vaccinated during pregnancy. The antenatal vaccination for pertussis is safe and free. This is most effective when given from 16 weeks of pregnancy – and should be done during each pregnancy to provide the best protection for each baby. Babies should also receive their childhood vaccinations on time from six weeks to ensure ongoing protection.

Free vaccines can be given at your GP, Hauora Māori or Pacific health service, or at some pharmacies. To book, or for more information, call the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26 (8.30am-5.00pm Monday to Friday) or visit: info.health.nz/bookavaccine. People can also speak to their GP or contact their local hauora provider.