Urgent warning issued to parents as cases of infectious disease skyrocket

Children and pregnant women have been urged to get vaccinated after cases of whooping cough soared to a six-year high in one Australian state. 

Up to 492 cases of whooping cough have been detected in South Australia this year compared to just 48 cases recorded in 2023. 

The highly contagious disease - also known as pertussis - can cause serious illness of people of all ages but is most dangerous for babies. 

South Australias Chief Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier urged families to protect their children by getting them vaccinated.  

Particularly with the current wave of whooping cough in South Australia, anyone who will be spending time around infants less than six months of age should consider getting themselves a booster, Prof Spurrier said. 

Many people who have had the vaccine may not realise that immunity wanes over time.

Professor Spurrier also encouraged pregnant women to get vaccinated to protect  themselves and their newborns. 

Children aged eighteen months, two, four and six can receive the vaccination. 

Children and pregnant women have been urged to get vaccinated after cases of whooping cough reached a six-year high in one Australian state (stock image)

Health advice recommends women are vaccinated between 20 to 32 weeks of their pregnancy. 

More than 25,600 cases of whooping cough have been recorded in Australia in 2024 so far, according to the National Communicable Disease Surveillance Dashboard. 

Most cases have been detected in NSW followed by Queensland and Victoria. 

NSW recorded 5,372 cases as of June 30 this year while Queensland recorded 4,951 during the same period. 

SA Health warned whooping cough epidemics occur every three to four years in the state. 

The last time cases hit triple digits by September was in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

Around 250,000 children across the world die every year from whooping cough.  

The disease can also be treated with antibiotics, but Prof Spurrier urged people to take basic health measures to reduce the spread of infection. 

This includes people covering their nose and mouth while sneezing and coughing and washing their hands regularly.   

A staggering 492 cases of whooping cough have been detected in South Australia this year compared to 48 cases recorded in 2023 (stock image)

Please stay home from work or school if you are sick, to prevent the spread of illnesses like whooping cough to others, Prof Spurrier said. 

The disease is highly contagious and will likely infect the majority of people who come into close contact with a sick person.  

Whooping cough usually starts with typical flu-like symptoms such as a cough, runny nose, watery eyes and a low-grade fever. 

A dry and persistent cough usually lasts for a week and the frequency of the coughing produces a whoop sound. 

Severe cases can result in pneumonia, bleeding into the nose, eyes or brain and some children can also suffer brain damage.