Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a highly infectious bacterial disease that causes severe bouts of coughing with cases reported to be high in the NSW community
Hunter New England Local Health Districts Public Health Controller Dr David Durrheim says we’ve been blessed to have minimal cases over the past 5 years suggesting the measures taken through the Covid years reduced the spread of viruses and bacteria.
Dr Durrheim says recently they’ve seen a resurgence in whooping cough cases in the Hunter New England region with 300 laboratory confirmed cases this year.
He says symptoms can be mild in adults but can cause major issues for infants and called for parents and family members to get vaccinated to protect newborns and children
