Children and infants are most at risk as an epidemic of whooping cough sweeps across Sydney.
New South Wales is in the midst of an epidemic of the infection with more than 90 cases reported in just a week- that is the highest number in years.
Already this year there have been more than 5,600 cases of whooping cough across the state – up more than 80 per cent on last year.
One case of a little girl who contracted the infection was Chloe Armstrong, who was just 19-months-old when she had to fight for her life.
She spent five weeks in hospital with one in intensive care.
Dr Kean-Seng Lim told 7 News: “This is actually a condition that can kill babies.”
Chloe, now two-years-old, is fit and healthy, but isn’t immune to another bout of the disease despite being vaccinated.
Dr Lim said: “We are seeing a lot of children and even adults with whooping cough, in this current season and it’s a bit of a worry.”
Vicky Sheppeard, from NSW Health, told 7 News: “Whooping cough is highly infectious in the first few weeks of the illness so if children do have it and they have young infants or small children in the house then that is a particular risk for that household.”
In the past year, it’s primary school aged kids who have been most susceptible.
It has been four years since we’ve had such a serious outbreak of whooping cough.
Since the start of September there has been 92 new cases reported to the New South Wales health department, that is more than 13 a day.
The vaccine for whooping cough isn’t long lasting, after five or six years immunity begins to drop, which explains the spike in cases.
Immunisations can minimise symptoms making it harder for parents to recognise.
Ms Sheppheard added: “The disease in a vaccinated child will have a prolonged cough but they’re far less likely to have that prolonged whooping cough and less likely to have the vomiting after coughing.”
Winter may be over but the epidemic hasn’t reached it’s peak.
September is the worst month for whooping cough.