There has been a significant increase in Pertussis cases across the motu, which Te Whatu Ora is asking healthcare professionals to be alert to.
Epidemics of Pertussis typically occur every 3-5 years, with the last national outbreak in Aotearoa New Zealand beginning in late 2017 and continuing through 2018.
For the month of September 2024, there were 187 confirmed, probable and suspect cases notified. The Pertussis case notification rate was 3.4/100,000; equal to the national outbreak threshold identified by ESR in 2017 from historical data, indicating a national outbreak is likely to occur.
ESR’s assessment is that the overall risk of a national pertussis outbreak is high.
ESR dashboard reporting shows that cases continue to occur widely across the motu, with all regions experiencing increases in case numbers at different times, contributing to an overall upwards trend in cases, particularly in recent weeks. Cases have been spread across ages groups and across ethnicities.
Pertussis can be particularly severe for babies, and they may require hospital care. Read the full public health alert.
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