New Zealand declares whooping cough epidemic after detecting more than 260 cases in four weeks

New Zealand stated whooping cough epidemic after rising incidence registered in recent months. According to New Zealand media reports, over the past four weeks, from October 19 to November 15, there would have been reached 263 caseswhich is a record figure for this period of time.

The surge in incidence of this type of disease, according to the director of the Department of Public Health, Dr Nicholas Joneswill also occur in other countries and is explained by the lower incidence of whooping cough reported during COVID-19 pandemic

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New Zealand’s Ministry of Health assured in a statement that the country was “in the early stages of an epidemic” for which they had programmed a “coordinated national response”. He explains that the decision to declare an epidemic “was based according to the recommendations of health officials who met yesterday to review the latest national and international trends “With case numbers rising steadily for several weeks across the country, these numbers are now at levels that meet the threshold for declaring a national epidemic,” they conclude.

The Ministry pays special attention to pregnant women

The Department of Health is focusing on protection by encouraging vulnerable populations and pregnant women to get vaccinated to protect babies who “too young to be vaccinated or whose vaccinations are delayed

They remember that in previous epidemics, Māori and Pacific Island children were the hardest hit.

Next to 50% of children infected before reaching one year of age require hospitalization.and one or two in 100 such hospitalized children die: “The best protection for infants is vaccination of their mother during pregnancy (…) it is more effective if given from 16 weeks pregnant

“, they add.

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough or whooping cough, also known as whooping cough, is “highly contagious” bacterial infectioncausing a severe cough that can last for weeks or even months.

It is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertusis, which is found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person. transmitted by direct contact with the secretions of victims. As for the symptoms, at the initial stage they resemble the symptoms of a cold. That is, sneezing, runny nose, low-grade fever and a mild cough, but as the cough progresses, they get worse.

Adults and young people They usually recover from this infection without problems.. In these populations, when complications occur, they are usually Side effects of severe and continuous cough.