Pertussis (whooping cough) epidemic across Aotearoa New Zealand
National
Health agencies have confirmed today that Aotearoa New Zealand is now in the early stages of a whooping cough epidemic, with a nationally coordinated response now in place.
Whooping cough (pertussis) cases across the motu have been closely monitored over recent months, with today’s announcement informed by the recommendation of health officials who met yesterday to review the latest national and international trends in the disease. With case numbers consistently increasing for several weeks across the country, numbers are now at a level that meets the threshold for a national epidemic to be declared.
Latest ESR reporting shows that following spikes in May, June and July, whooping cough cases have been steadily increasing again since September. In the past 4 weeks (19 October to 15 November) there were 263 cases — the highest number of cases over a four-week period to date for all of 2024.
Director of Public Health, Dr Nicholas Jones, says that a number of countries are experiencing record levels of Pertussis, possibly due to lower infection rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. He says New Zealand should also be ready to see similarly high levels of cases over the next 12 months or more and, as in previous epidemics, Māori and Pacific pēpi will be most affected.
Around 50% of pēpi who catch whooping cough before the age of 12 months need hospitalisation and 1 or 2 in 100 of those hospitalised pēpi die from the infection.
Childhood vaccinations to protect against whooping cough are needed at ages 6 weeks, 3 months and 5 months, and again at 4 years. A further booster is given at age 11 years (school year 7), and it is important that children are kept up to date with all of their vaccinations to provide the best protection for themselves and their wider whānau. But even if tamariki have missed their vaccinations, it’s not too late to catch up.
For adults, New Zealand has a combined pertussis and tetanus vaccine. Adults are eligible for one free booster from age 45 (if they have not had four previous tetanus doses) and can get one free from age 65.
For more information, or help to book your vaccination, call the Vaccination Healthline free on 0800 28 29 26 (8:30am to 5pm Monday to Friday) or visit info.health.nz/bookavaccine (internal link)