Perfect storm sees whooping cough, RSV cases soar

Health experts are bracing for a “very significant year for respiratory illnesses” as Queensland sees a staggering rise in viral infections. Whooping cough cases alone this year are already almost three times the number recorded throughout 2023.

An incoming wave of viral diseases coupled with low vaccination rates has health experts concerned for the winter ahead.

Queensland Health have confirmed an increase in whooping cough and COVID-19 cases over the last fortnight and said cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were up compared to last year, both returning to pre-pandemic levels.

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“We are concerned this year seems to be a very significant year for respiratory illness and we are more concerned as our hospitals are already stretched and this will increase the pressure,” Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Maria Boulton said.

Compared to the same period last year (January to May), 2024 RSV cases are up by 6050, whooping cough is up from 40 at 2515 and influenza cases have increased by 783. The whooping cough figures for the year so far are almost three times the total yearly number recorded in 2023.

“The symptoms from all of these can start from a very mild cold to severe pneumonia,” Dr Boulton said.

“These viruses are already circulating.

“I am seeing a lot of families coming in unwell, so it is doing the rounds.”

Health experts have also been warned of an uptick in Covid cases, with 1193 reported to Queensland Health in the week ending May 12 while a further 3010 cases were reported in the three weeks prior. Overall numbers of Covid are down on the same period last year (January to May).

AMAQ President Dr Maria Boulton. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

“Those Covid numbers that show an increase are just the reported numbers,” Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice president Dr Michael Clements said.

“The numbers of Influenza and Covid will certainly be far above that.”

Both doctors suggested Queenslanders were behind on their vaccines.

“We are still concerned there are still a lot of people who haven’t had a vaccine for the flu this year and there are a lot of people who aren’t up to date with Covid vaccines,” Dr Boulton said.

Dr Michael Clements. Picture: Supplied

Only 18.1 per cent of Queenslanders have been vaccinated against influenza this year with around 1.07m doses delivered while around 1.1m Covid boosters have been administered across the state.

“I think people are less alarmed and less alert to some of these vaccine preventable diseases,” Dr Clements said.

“Keeping up to date with these things can be a bit of a challenge.

“We know clearly people are seeing their doctors less because of increasing costs.

“It needs to make it cheaper and in some cases free for the vulnerable patients,” he said.

More than 200 people have been hospitalised with Covid this year while 41 were hospitalised for influenza and 71 were hospitalised for RSV.

Flu and Covid vaccinations are free to access across the state while a newly introduced RSV vaccine is now available for infants in hospital and eligible patients at general practitioners.

Whooping cough vaccines are free as part of the childhood and adolescent immunisation schedules and to pregnant women, they are available outside of this for a fee.