Whooping cough case confirmed at The Gap State High School, Indooroopilly State School

UPDATED: A case of highly contagious whooping cough has been confirmed at an inner-westside primary school on Wednesday, a week after a case was detected at a nearby high school. Parents are being urged to monitor their children for symptoms.

Metro North Public Health Unit has confirmed a case of the highly contagious bacterial illness whooping cough at Indooroopilly State School, less than a week after another confirmed case at The Gap State High School.

Indooroopilly parents were notified on Wednesday, July 24, after parents at The Gap were informed last Friday..

Parents and staff were informed that the infected person attended the schools while they were unknowingly infectious.

The news came after a wave of cases across the state and a significant jump in flu, Covid and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases across Queensland in recent months.

Confirmed whooping cough numbers in the six months to June were already at 4951 cases, almost five times the full-year total in 2023.

The powder most commonly used to treat whooping cough was meanwhile in dire shortage, with the shortfall not likely to be fixed this year according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Nurse Lea Scheltens delivers a whooping cough vaccination.

Alternative generic medicines were available, though.

The disease is caused by a bacterium which affected the lungs and airways, resulting in violent, uncontrollable coughing making it hard to breathe.

In rare cases, usually only in newborns, there could be serious complications including pneumonia, brain damage or even death.

A letter from Metro North Public Health physician Dr Megan Young said whooping cough, otherwise known as pertussis, was a highly infectious and spread by coughing and sneezing.

“The illness is troublesome and distressing at any age but can be very serious in young infants,” Dr Young said.

“Vaccination gives good protection to young children, but unfortunately this protection decreases with time.

“Pertussis may still occur in older children and adults who were immunised in early childhood”.

The Gap State High School parents have been warned to be vigilant after a confirmed whooping cough case. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland Health recommended anyone at The Gap State High School with a persistent cough, even if they had been previously vaccinated against pertussis, to see their doctor.

“It is very important that all young children are up to date with their vaccinations,” Dr Young said.

“Protection against pertussis is included in the routine vaccinations given to children at two months, four months and six months of age and boosters given at 18 months and 4 years of age, as well as in Year 7 at school.

“Anyone with pertussis is recommended to stay home for a period of 21 days after the onset of symptoms, or until they have received at least five full days of a course of appropriate antibiotics.”

Vaccines are free as part of the childhood and adolescent immunisation schedules and also for pregnant women. They are available outside of this for a fee.

Originally published as Whooping cough case confirmed at The Gap State High School, Indooroopilly State School