Epidemic fears as babies infected

Three Canterbury babies have been hospitalised with whooping cough as doctors fear a surge in cases will lead to deaths or brain damage.

Many children have been infected in Canterbury and the Nelson-Marlborough region.

Medical experts are warning of an epidemic if the cases continue.

Nationally, rates of the potentially fatal disease are higher than at any stage for the past six years.

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ramon Pink, said there were 34 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, reported in the region last month.

This was about double the number in January, he said.

In the Nelson-Marlborough region there were 18 cases reported in February.

This year, there had been 221 cases of pertussis nationwide, compared with 40 last year, Environmental Science and Research figures showed.

Pink said if rates continued to rise so steadily, New Zealand would be in the grip of an epidemic.

This would mean more babies hospitalised, extra deaths and an added burden on already overcrowded hospitals during winter.

One child, typically aged under six months, died every year from pertussis during an average season.

During an epidemic, this was likely to increase, he said.

The symptoms of whooping cough were "insidious".

In the early stages they involved feeling a bit "grotty" and having a runny nose and a bit of a cough, Pink said.

It then developed into a persistent cough with no chance to catch a breath. When the person breathed, it had a raspy, "whoopy" noise, Pink said.

Within the first few weeks, the disease could be treated with medication which meant it was less likely to be spread, he said.

Anyone who suspected they had the disease should visit their GP.

Immunisation Advisory Centre research director Helen Petousis-Harris said Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough seemed to have problems with the disease.

"We're going to see more babies in hospital during an epidemic, and probably more dying from it."

Petousis-Harris said adults could get a top-up injection as the whooping cough vaccine only lasted about six years.

This was a particularly good idea for people in contact with babies, who were vulnerable to the highly infectious disease, she said.

To avoid whooping cough epidemics, at least 90 per cent of the population should be immunised, Petousis-Harris said. Children who got the vaccine late were four to six times more likely to contract the disease.

- By KIM THOMAS, The Press