South Australia Issues Warning to Watch for ‘Whooping Cough’ as Cases Surge

Canberra – Nicola Spurrier, Chief Public Health Officer of South Australia, has urged the public to get vaccinated against whooping cough after reports confirmed 492 cases in the state in 2024, a tenfold increase from 48 cases during the same period last year.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can be life-threatening, especially for infants.

According to the latest data from the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australia recorded 25,954 confirmed whooping cough cases in 2024, the highest number since 2011, when the annual total reached 38,748 cases.

Spurrier told reporters that the state is currently experiencing an outbreak, though it is unclear if it will worsen. She advised parents with young children to ensure they are vaccinated and urged pregnant women to confirm their vaccination status as well.

The whooping cough vaccine is available free of charge for all pregnant women, children at two, four, and six months, as well as at four years old, and for children aged 12-13 years under the National Immunisation Program.

Source: Xinhua Thai

Source: ArokaGO Health Library - Whooping Cough Symptoms