'Unseasonably high' numbers of whooping cough cases among NSW school-aged children
There has been an "unseasonably high" number of school kids with cases of whooping cough in New South Wales in recent months, according to NSW Health.
Cases have been increasing since February this year, with 1135 cases reported in May 2023.
Whooping cough cases have been on the rise since 2023 and according to NSW Health, they are expected to continue to increase.
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The rate of whooping cough cases by month. The yellow line shows the rate of whooping cough in kids aged between 5 and 15. NSW Health
In particular, cases of whooping cough were spiking for kids aged between five and 15.
Parents at several schools were sent warnings from their schools about recent cases of whooping cough in emails seen by 9news.com.au.
"Anyone with respiratory symptoms should remain away from school and seek appropriate medical advice and testing," parents at one Sydney school were told.
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The rate of whooping cough cases by year. NSW Health
Whooping cough is also known as pertussis and is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis.
NSW Health said whooping cough usually sees greater activity in the spring and summer.
Major outbreaks typically occur every few years as population immunity decreases.
In 2020 and 2021, rates of whooping cough took a massive dip.
2021 had the lowest rate of whooping cough infections on record since records began in 1991.
NSW Health said that the dip was caused by the lockdowns and other health interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reduced the rates of other infections as a side effect.
Whooping cough is spread when an infectious person coughs bacteria into the air which can be inhaled by people nearby.
People who are not treated can be infectious for around three weeks.
A NSW Department of Education spokesperson said the department does not collect data on cases of whooping cough in schools.
Despite the surging numbers of young people contracting the infection, the Department of Education said it had not needed to send communications to schools specifically on whooping cough recently.
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