Health authorities across Australia are urging people to get vaccinated as cases of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, continue to surge.
The latest national data shows more than 26,700 cases reported so far in 2024, compared with 2,451 cases for all of 2023. The numbers are being driven by cases in Queensland and NSW.
Data published on Thursday shows more than 12,700 of the cases reported are in NSW – the highest level since 2016. In Queensland, there have been almost 8,600 cases, compared with just over 100 cases in the same period in 2023.
Victoria has seen more than 4,000 cases, while in South Australia, cases are at a six-year high; health authorities there have alerted to almost 550 infections so far in 2024.
There have typically been epidemics of whooping cough in Australia every three to four years. This normal cyclical pattern is driven by waning immunity over time, due to lack of exposure to circulating infection.
Australia’s last pertussis epidemic was in 2016. Health professionals have been warning of a rise in cases for months, saying Covid-related public health measures had protected against the normal cyclical recurrence during the pandemic.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis, which spreads through droplets produced when coughing and sneezing.
Babies less than six months old are at greatest risk of severe disease and death, because they are too young to get vaccinated. This means pregnant women, parents and carers of babies, grandparents and other people in close contact with babies need to be vaccinated to protect them.
Babies receive their first vaccination at six weeks old (and again at four, six and 18 months, and four years, for five doses in total). Healthcare workers, early childhood educators and carers are advised to receive a booster every 10 years.
Adolescents should receive a booster dose at about 12 to 13 years old.
Cases in children aged five-14 years old represent the majority of cases alerted to health authorities in 2024. There have been more than 1,000 cases in babies and toddlers aged 0-4 years.
NSW Health’s director of communicable diseases, Dr Christine Selvey, said free whooping cough vaccines are available for all pregnant women.
“Pregnant women are recommended to be vaccinated between 20 and 32 weeks of every pregnancy as this enables whooping cough antibodies to be transferred to their unborn baby,” Selvey said.
Whooping cough needs to be diagnosed and treated immediately. People with symptoms should contact their GP.
