The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) says alarm bells are ringing as a concerning amount of pertussis (whooping cough) cases across South Africa is on a steady rise.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection. In many people, it’s marked by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like “whoop.” Before the vaccine was developed, whooping cough was considered a childhood disease.
In a statement, the NCID said that 147 cases have been notified from the start of 2022 to 15 September. There was a steady increase in the number of cases reported since May and a sharp rise from July through August and September.
Of the 147 reported cases, the majority – 42% – are said to be from Western Cape.
Of the 38 cases reported in the Western Cape in September, 89% were observed in children younger than five years. In this group, 74% were younger than three months. Of the 34 children younger than five, only 26 had been vaccinated and 65% were up to date with their vaccinations.
The NICD advises parents to ensure that children are up to date with vaccinations and to seek medical attention early on, especially for children under the age of five.
Clinicians are also advised to be on alert for cases, report and notify them according to the National Health Act, and prescribe post-exposure prophylaxis to close and high-risk contacts if appropriate.
Signs and symptoms:
While they may vary between individuals, initial signs and symptoms are similar to common colds and may include:
- nasal congestion
- runny nose
- mild sore throat
- mild dry cough
- minimal or no fever.
Days later, the cough can become more severe and characterised by:
- episodes of paroxysms (violent and uncontrolled coughing that is exhausting and painful)
- a whooping sound and/or vomiting after coughing.
Immunity following vaccinations is believed to last for five to six years.
For more information, visit the NICD website.
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