Whooping cough death sparks alert
THE Northern NSW Local Health Network has warned parents about the dangers of whooping cough after a 10-week-old Tweed Heads baby died in hospital in Brisbane last month after contracting the disease.
While declining to comment on the specific case, Director of Public Health for the North Coast Paul Corben said tragically two infants had died on the NSW North Coast from whooping cough in the past two years.
“Both of these babies were just a few weeks old when they contracted whooping cough,” he said.
He said parents of newborn children should keep anyone with a cough away from your baby, especially until the baby had the first three doses of whooping cough vaccine.
“Booster vaccines for children and adults stop whooping cough being spread to babies,” he said.
“In NSW free booster vaccines are available for new parents, grandparents and anyone who regularly cares for children under 12 months of age.”
