Cases of whooping cough, which can cause serious complications for infants, have been reported throughout the Island, health officials warned Thursday.
As of last month, 17 people under the age of 20 had contracted the illness, the majority of them not vaccinated, said Curtis May, an Island Health resident medical health officer.
“This is the age range where vaccine is recommended and free — infancy years, preschool years and middle-school years,” May said Thursday. “Infants are the most concerning because they’re the age group that has the potential to have the most severe disease.”
Cases of whooping cough are “evenly distributed” throughout south, north and central Island, said May. “There isn’t a particular cluster, which is telling us that there are likely a lot of cases that we’re not detecting — they are probably more mild cases.”
It’s for that reason that Island Health wants to ensure parents get any child who develops a severe cough medically assessed, he said. “It’s important that early testing and treatment is also employed.”
Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection of the airways caused by pertussis bacteria. Symptoms can include a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever and possibly a mild cough in the beginning, resembling a cold.
Instead of resolving in a couple of weeks, however, the cough can last for weeks. It’s sometimes referred to as “the 100-day cough,” Island Health said, noting that the typical “whoop” sound after a coughing fit doesn’t happen in everyone — especially adults.
Some people may vomit after coughing episodes or feel exhausted after coughing, but seem quite well otherwise.
Island Health said serious complications are rare in adults, but small children and especially infants under a year old are at increased risk. In rare cases, pertussis can lead to pneumonia, seizures and even death.
Vaccination is recommended for infants, with a booster dose before kindergarten (ages four to six) and again in Grade 9. It’s recommended that all adults have at least one dose of Tdap vaccine, which protects against whooping cough as well as diphtheria and tetanus.
People who are pregnant should be vaccinated each time they are pregnant, ideally between 27 and 32 weeks, said Island Health.
The health authority said vaccines are available at and some doctors’ and nurse practitioners’ offices. Adults and children ages five and up can also get immunized at some pharmacies.
Island Health’s website provides on recommended vaccine schedules.
May stressed that many safe and effective vaccines recommended in the “most vulnerable” first year of life can prevent serious disease.
“We need to ensure that we don’t forget that the reason why we don’t see a lot of these diseases is because we have vaccines to prevent them and if we don’t get vaccines and make sure those vaccines are up to date … we might see vaccine-preventable diseases come back.”
• For more information about vaccine schedules, see Island Health’s website or to find local health units, visit: .
