State school parents warned over whooping cough case
The DDPHU has issued a warning to parents and staff of a Toowoomba school after a case of whooping cough was discovered at the school.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Darling Downs Public Health Unit has issued a warning to parents and staff of Bunkers Hill State School after a case of whooping cough was discovered at the school.
DDPHU director Dr Penny Hutchinson said a letter was sent to parents and staff with information about pertussis (whooping cough), what to do if you or family are sick, how it is prevented and where to get more information.
"This information has also been sent to a number of other schools across the Darling Downs Public Health Unit area," she said.
"Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
"It can affect people of any age. In teens and adults, the infection may cause a persistent cough."
Dr Hutchinson said that year to date, there have been 19 notifications of whooping cough across the Darling Downs Public Health Unit catchment area - half the average number of notifications usually received by this time of year.
She added that for babies and young children, whooping cough can be life threatening.
"Symptoms of whooping cough vary but typically start out like a cold with a runny nose with sneezing, tiredness and characteristic coughing bouts developing over several days," she said.
"There is a vaccine for whooping cough which is provided through the National Immunisation Program.
"Since this program was introduced to Australia, there has been a significant drop in severe
disease and deaths from whooping cough."
Originally published as State school parents warned over whooping cough case
One-time NRL hopeful’s rape charge after alleged attack
A Gatton man, who was once an aspiring NRL player, will undergo a mental health assessment before being able to make a bail application next week.
Jury finds man not guilty of raping teen
A Toowoomba and Townsville region man has been found not guilty of raping a heavily intoxicated teenager.
‘I’m not a murderer’: $40k back seat meth deal gone wrong, says accused killer
A Toowoomba man accused of deliberately mowing down and killing a friend has told a court he never meant to harm the man he claims stole $40,000 from him.
‘Brave and hot’: Kanye fires back at Bianca critics
Kanye West has defended Bianca Censori after her naked display at the Grammys, describing his “admiration” for his Australian wife as the model’s mum broke her silence on the incident.
‘Told to mind my own business’: Murder accused’s car disappears after hit-and-run
Allegations of amnesia, a vanishing car, and a flurry of cash in the wind – a court has been told what led up to the alleged hit-and-run murder of a Brisbane man on the side of a busy highway and its aftermath.
Mayors jetset across globe on 2032 Olympics delegation
Mayors across southeast Queensland have quietly embarked on a 10-day trip to Singapore, Paris and the UK, in a bid to learn about opportunities for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.