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Sunday, June 27, 2010

New Zealand : Outbreak of whooping cough hits Kaikoura

Via Marlborough Express :

" Kaikoura has been hit by a whooping cough epidemic, with 15 cases confirmed by the Kaikoura Medical Centre since the beginning of April.

Centre practice manager Wendy Campbell said the outbreak was under control with no new cases reported for two weeks.

"This was a one-off occurrence," she said.

One of the confirmed cases was a baby under one.

Babies were especially vulnerable to the disease, which could be deadly, Mrs Campbell said.

"It is more than likely there are more undiagnosed cases in the community," she said.

Kaikoura Medical Centre doctor Andrea Judd said these kinds of epidemics were more likely when parents did not have their children immunised.

She was concerned whooping cough might become more prevalent."

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