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September 6, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Whooping Cough Epidemic Feared"

Timaru Herald (NZ) (www.timaruherald.co.nz) (09/06/02); Pickering, Helen

Health officials in South Canterbury, New Zealand, are fearful that the high levels of whooping cough could be indicative of a coming national epidemic.  According to health official Daniel Williams, whooping cough epidemics usually occur every four to five years in New Zealand, and the last one occurred between July 1999 and July 2002, during which nearly 7,000 cases were reported, resulting in 900 hospitalizations and two infant deaths.  So far this year, there have been 135 cases, mostly in Temuka and Timaru.  Williams said that South Canterbury has so far had the most significant showing of whooping cough than anywhere else in the country.  He cautioned that the disease is highly contagious, and he urged on-time immunization as a key prevention strategy.

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