Safety & First Aid News

Increasing pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Victoria

Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) are increasing in Victoria. There have been around 4 times the number of pertussis cases in 2024 than for the whole of 2023. Children aged 10-12 years account for more than one-third of all notified cases.  The increasing number of pertussis infections seen in Victoria is a public health concern, as it indicates an increasing risk of transmission to the most vulnerable population – infants under the age of 6 months.

A child with whooping cough must not attend school for 21 days after the onset of cough or until they have completed 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment.  Contacts aged younger than 7 years who are in the same classroom as a confirmed whooping cough case, and who have not received 3 doses of pertussis vaccine, should also be excluded for 14 days from after they were last exposed to a person diagnosed with whooping cough, or until they have completed 5 days of a course of antibiotic treatment. These requirements are in accordance with the Department of Health’s School Exclusion table.  

Vaccination is the most important preventive measure against whooping cough as it reduces the risk of infection and severe illness.  A free booster dose of pertussis (dTpa) is covered under the national immunisation program (NIP) for adolescents aged 12-13 years of age/year 7 secondary schools.