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Whooping cough cases double in Northern Territory

Despite the anti-vaxxers' campaign, more kids than ever are getting their vital inoculations.

Despite the anti-vaxxers' campaign, more kids than ever are getting their vital inoculations. Photo: Getty

There has been a spike in whooping cough cases in the Top End, prompting the Northern Territory’s Department of Health to extend its alert.

Official figures show infection rates for the potentially fatal disease doubled since last year, with 165 cases confirmed in the state since January.

Almost 90 per cent of those infected have been in the Palmerston and Darwin areas.

Dr Rosalind Webby from the NT Centre for Disease Control said while the rise was not connected to a drop in immunisation rates, Territorians were being urged to ensure their vaccinations were up-to-date.

“There hasn’t been any decrease in immunisation rates, we still have high immunisation coverage in the Territory, and we know that’s good, but we want to make sure people get it on time,” she said.

“But particularly because this is a new program, to make sure that pregnant women know that they can get a vaccine in their third trimester.”

The last serious whooping cough outbreak occurred in the NT during 2011, with 383 cases confirmed that year.

Dr Webby said while whooping cough presented a serious risk to young children, free vaccinations available for parents, babies and carers were helping to reduce its impact.

“We’re very lucky, we haven’t yet had any infant deaths from whooping cough, but we want to keep it that way, that’s why we are raising awareness, we want to make sure little ones really do not get sick,” she said.

“We worry particularly for the little children under one year of age, they are the ones that can get very unwell with whooping cough.”

She said the lack of cases so far in infants aged under one was evidence the program was working, and pregnant women could be vaccinated during their third trimester.

“This can protect not only themselves, but also their baby,” Dr Webby said.

-ABC

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