The South Australian government is urging pregnant women to get vaccinated against whooping cough to protect their unborn babies with a spike in the number of�children getting the disease.
Data showed that 24 babies have been diagnosed since January last year, and in the past three weeks, four babies have fallen ill.
In total, 260 cases have been recorded this year, up 42 per cent on the same time last year.
South Australia’s Health Minister Jack Snelling estimated another whooping cough epidemic in the near future.
“There is a good chance we’re heading towards another epidemic of whooping cough in the next few years,” he said.
Professor Helen Marshall from the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital explained the serious effects of whooping cough in children.�”It’s a nasty infection at any stage of life but it’s really serious in infants under six months of age,” she said, adding that in that�vulnerable age group, the illness can be fatal or cause permanent brain injury.
The SA government provides the vaccine for free to expectant mothers, and so the government encourages pregnant mums to get vaccinated before giving birth, or around the last trimester of pregnancy�that can pass over 90 per cent protection to their baby.
For older children attending play group, Mr Snelling said that compulsory vaccines might be tackled.�”We will be releasing a consultation bill in that area in the next couple of months,” he said.
Sources:�Au.news.yahoo.com�and�9news.com.au
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