Southern Health reports whooping cough outbreak

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This article was published 15/12/2023 (1043 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cases of whopping cough have hit the Southern Health region and residents should take precautions.

“Whooping cough or pertussis is caused by a bacteria that is transmitted from person to person through coughing or sneezing as most respiratory infections are transmitted,” said Dr. Davinder Singh, medical officer of health for Southern Health.

As of June 23, 154 confirmed and probable cases have been reported to Manitoba Health with 152 of them in the Southern Health area. The age range of cases includes 30 infants aged one year or younger, 80 cases in children aged one to nine, 24 cases in children aged 10 to 19, and 20 cases in adults. The outbreak includes 78 female and 76 male cases that has resulted in 55 visits to the emergency department and two admissions to pediatric intensive care. There have been no deaths.

“The combination is likely (due to) a couple of things (as to why there is an outbreak). Whooping cough does have a pattern of increases or cycles every two to five years. We do expect there to be increases and decreases in the number of people who do get whopping cough over that period of time. But we also know that the chances of becoming sick with whopping cough does increase a lot for those who are unimmunized or under immunized, so we have seen that a high number of people have been effected by this outbreak are unimmunized or under immunized so that is a contributing factor,” said Singh.

As to why the outbreak is centered in the Southern Health region, Singh said it might be due to the illness being introduced into the area by an outside source and/or lower rates of immunizations.

Whooping cough is highly contagious, but preventable with the use of vaccines and treatable with the use of antibiotics. Symptoms are similar to those of the common cold starting with a mild fever, runny nose, and a cough. Symptoms usually show up seven to 10 days after being exposed. Coughing fits can last one to 10 weeks and people may have trouble breathing causing choking or vomiting. Infants have trouble eating.

While whooping cough can affect people of all ages, it is usually infants aged one year or younger who are at the greatest risk of severe complications, which can include periods of stalled breathing, pneumonia, seizures, brain swelling, and death. Women in their third trimester are also at a higher risk.

Children are usually immunized against whooping cough at two, four, six, and 18 months and between the ages of four and six and again in Grade 8 and 9. The vaccine is also recommended during pregnancy.

Singh said parents of small children should take the same precautions that they would when a child has a cold in not transmitting the bacteria and they should immunize their children at recommended times.

“We know that for those who get their primary series of three immunizations against pertussis, they are 85 percent effective at preventing the risk of infection with pertussis or whooping cough. Then once you get your booster dose at age 18 months that protection increases up to 90 percent. That is the best way for parents to be protecting their children not only against pertussis, but all the routine vaccine preventable diseases that we immunize children for. But also beyond that is the protection of the vaccine does wane over time so we do have boosters for children when they’re four to six years of age, when children are in school in Grade 8 or 9 and then there are recommended immunizations for all people who are pregnant.”

In a press release, Southern Health stated that public health officials recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted routine health care, including immunizations. To help reconnect, Manitoba Health sent follow-up letters to parents and caregivers of children born in 2019, 2020 and 2021 who may be missing routine childhood immunizations. These letters were mailed earlier this month.

For adults, Singh recommends pregnant women get the vaccine for themselves and for the health of their baby who is most vulnerable during the first six months after birth. He also recommends adults get a whooping cough booster when they get their tetanus shot every ten years.