Babies are particularly at risk of catching the disease. Photo: 123rf
Whooping cough case numbers rose slightly last week, after a huge spike the week before.
Officials declared a whooping cough epidemic three weeks ago following consistently high case numbers.
ESR data showed 161 cases were recorded in the week ending 6 December - up from 157 the week prior, and 80 the week before that.
Health NZ - Te Whatu Ora said the numbers had surged to levels not seen since the last national whooping cough epidemic in 2017/18.
The total number of cases this year is now 1329.
The West Coast and Southern health districts have had the highest concentration of cases in the past four weeks, the data showed.
West Coast recorded 79 cases per 100,000 people, while Southern had 24 cases per 100,000.
This year, 117 people - nearly 9 percent of total cases - have been hospitalised.
Of the 82 cases in babies under 12 months old, 54 have been hospitalised - nearly 66 percent.
Babies are particularly at risk of catching the disease.
The numbers have prompted the health agency to put out a fresh call for pregnant people and young children to get their whooping cough vaccine.
Clinical director of protection Susan Jack said: "In the last four weeks, we have had 13 babies under 12 months old in hospitals across the country sick with whooping cough - with only a small number of them fully immunised."
At the end of November, 70 percent of children between six weeks and five months old were vaccinated, she said.
Childhood vaccinations are needed at six weeks, three months and five months, and again at four years.
A further booster is given at age 11 - but if a child has missed an immunisation, they can catch up no matter what their age, Jack said.
Symptoms (after about one week):
- Blocked or runny nose
- Sneezing
- Mild fever
- Uncontrollable coughing fits that last for a few minutes
- Coughing that leads to vomiting
- Thick mucus that can make you vomit or choke
- During coughing spells, young babies may gasp for air, stop breathing and turn blue.
Symptoms can present differently in infants, who can stop breathing or even die suddenly instead of having coughing fits.
Older children and adults can develop complications including collapsing after severe coughing, broken ribs, and pneumonia.
Patients of all ages can suffer from brain inflammation (encephalitis), convulsions and incontinence.
People can carry and spread whooping cough without symptoms.
Vaccines are free for pregnant people, all children and young people under 18 years old and adults at 45 and 65 years old, as immunity reduces.
It is recommended - though not funded - for some adults to have a whooping cough booster at least every 10 years. If you are not eligible for a free booster, it will cost between $40 and $90.
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