Dr Jim Miller said if parents are concerned that their baby's cough seems like more than just a cold, they should seek advice from Healthline or their GP. Photo / Thinkstock
A surge in Bay of Plenty whooping cough cases among babies and small children is causing concern among health professionals.
A national whooping cough, or pertussis, epidemic was declared in November and more than 250 cases have been recorded across the Bay of Plenty and Lakes health districts.
Tauranga medical officer of health Dr Jim Miller said he was alarmed by the number of children admitted to Bay of Plenty hospitals in the past few months.
“We’ve had small children ending up in hospital in Rotorua and Whakatāne,” he said.
He said it was important pregnant women were immunised, as the people most at risk of serious illness and ending up in hospital were babies under 1.
“They’re too young - up to six weeks - to get their vaccinations, so they’re completely vulnerable.”
He said if a baby under 1 contracted whooping cough, they had a 50% chance of being hospitalised.
Miller said healthcare professionals were concerned people were not aware of the outbreak or where to seek help.
So far this year, 146 whooping cough cases have been reported in Bay of Plenty, according to public health monitoring by PHF Science, the new Crown institute for public health and forensic science.
Recorded cases spiked in the second week of January to 14 cases and had been rising again, with 13 cases last week.
Te Whatu Ora Health NZ said there were 11 hospitalisations in five months in Eastern Bay of Plenty - the highest in a single year for the region since 2010.
PHF Science data showed Lakes had 109 reported cases so far this year, with May featuring 10 cases. It had three last week.
Of 34 people hospitalised in the two regions, 19 were aged under 1.
Miller said more cases were coming in daily.
“We’re sometimes getting one or two, sometimes half a dozen cases notified to us.”
Whooping cough was also under-reported as people often did not realise what they had, or did not go to the doctor.
Dr Cate Mills, a GP at Rotorua’s Three Lakes Clinic, said she had seen a lot of respiratory infections and very unwell children this season.
Mills said the increase in cases in the region was linked to its lower immunisation rate.
She suggested vaccine sceptics talk through their reservations with their doctor.
Dr Luke Bradford, a GP at 5th Ave Family Practice in Tauranga, said Bay of Plenty had “some of the worst immunisation rates in the country”.
“Stay up to date with your whooping cough vaccine. It’s one of those ones we have to boost periodically through life.”
Bradford said there was a lot of misinformation about vaccines circulating online.
“Childhood immunisation has turned around childhood mortality,” he said.
“If you look at average life expectancy, the main rise is because people don’t die as young children anymore. That’s predominantly because of vaccines.”
Miller said whooping cough began the same as a common cold, with a cough and runny nose.
“But it will persist, and it might start becoming more irritating, having bouts of coughing or paroxysms [outbursts] of coughing”.
Miller said patients may struggle to stop coughing, and “often at the end of that cough, they may take a really deep breath and that sometimes creates that whoop noise”, which gave the disease its name.
Small children may cough to the point of vomiting.
“If you are concerned about a small child with what appears to be a cold but the cough’s getting worse … either call a doctor or call Healthline 0800 611 116 to get 24/7 free health advice,” he said.
Antibiotic treatment could shorten the duration of the illness and the time a patient was infectious to others.
As a bacterial infection, droplets people coughed up were “highly infectious to others”.
“You shouldn’t go to work or send your children to school if they’re unwell.”
Simple things like covering your cough using your arm, washing your hands and staying home all helped.
“If you have a cough and it won’t go away, or you’re concerned that it’s unusual, phone Healthline or give your GP a ring and they can help.”
Miller said during the early stages, it was hard to tell the difference between whooping cough, Covid-19, influenza and the common cold.
“It’s important that you keep it to yourself.
“Don’t soldier on and go to work – stay home when you’re unwell and look after yourself and get better.”
Free vaccines can be booked and given at GP clinics, Hauora Māori or Pacific health services, or at some pharmacies.
Alternatively, call the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26 from 8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday or visit: info.health.nz/bookavaccine to book or for more information.