<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>334053</docID> <postdate>2024-11-26 15:48:32</postdate> <headline>Baby dies amid unprecedented whooping cough outbreak</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-334055" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20090511000178435999-original-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="886" height="626" /></p> <caption>Stock photograph of a baby in Sydney, Monday, May 11, 2009. The federal government is expected to formally announce plans to introduce paid parental leave in tomorrow's federal budget. (AAP Image/April Fonti) NO ARCHIVING</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Emily Verdouw</b> in Brisbane</span></p> <p><strong>An unprecedented whooping cough epidemic is spreading throughout Australia, alarming health authorities who are grappling to contain soaring infection rates following the death of a two-month-old baby.</strong></p> <p>There were nearly 42,000 cases of the highly-infectious disease recorded in 2024 up to November 8, according to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.</p> <p>The baby died in Queensland where at least 12,500 infections have been recorded in 2024, up from 549 cases at the same time last year.</p> <p>The youngest are the most at risk and children aged younger than 15 comprise up 60 per cent of all 2024 cases.</p> <p>"This epidemic is the worst year for whooping cough in Queensland on record," Chief Health Officer John Gerrard told AAP.</p> <p>"The surge in cases we've seen since February this year is continuing unabated ... if anything, it's getting worse."</p> <p>The epidemic is driven by a combination of factors including the natural disease cycle of the deadly cough peaking every three to five years, along with immune deficiency drive by isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>The most concerning factor, though, is dropping vaccination rates.</p> <p>According to Queensland Health data, 70.7 per cent of pregnant women were vaccinated for the cough in 2023, down from 77.2 per cent in 2020.</p> <p>"We want maternal vaccination rates about 90 per cent ... this decline is deeply concerning," Dr Gerrard said.</p> <p>"People may not realise this epidemic is still ongoing.</p> <p>"It's vital that mothers are informed so they can make the best decisions to protect their children."</p> <p>Whopping cough can be life-threatening for babies and young children.</p> <p>Babies in particular can be vulnerable to severe complications like pneumonia, seizures and brain damage caused by prolonged coughing fits.</p> <p>The disease is primarily spread through respiratory droplets or direct contact with infected people.</p> <p>Thirty-seven babies younger than six months old have been admitted to Queensland hospitals this year, compared to 14 in 2023.</p> <p>Maternal vaccination during pregnancy protects both mother and baby, reducing the risk of infection for newborns by 75 per cent, until they can be immunised at six weeks.</p> <p>Vaccination rates among pregnant women across regional Queensland have dipped below 65 per cent in several areas.</p> <p>The rates also declined among one and two year olds, dropping by about four per cent between December 2018 and September 2024.</p> <p>Whopping cough vaccinations are recommended as part of a five-dose schedule for young children, with boosters for adolescents and adults every five to 10 years.</p> <p>Additional vaccines are available for people over 65 and who are at higher risk of severe illness.</p> <p>The low vaccination rates mirror global trends and officials worldwide are re-evaluating their communication around vaccinations,</p> <p>"The mantra in public health now is we should focus on informing rather than persuading," Dr Gerrard said.</p> <p>Paul Griffin, director of infectious disease at Queensland's Mater Hospital, said a reduction in public vigilance to prevent illness was a contributing factor.</p> <p>"We're doing the least we've done to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases in years," he told ABC radio.</p> <p>"If you have symptoms, get tested and isolate until those symptoms settle down.</p> <p>"We didn't see much whopping cough when we were doing those things really well."</p> </body>