Increasing cases of whooping cough in Victoria

Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) continue to increase in Victoria, particularly amongst school-aged children.

There have been over 10 times the number of pertussis cases in 2024 than for the whole of 2023. Children aged 9-12 years account for nearly 40% of all notified cases.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection spread by coughing and sneezing. Whooping cough affects people of all ages but can be especially serious for babies under six months who have not yet had three doses of the whooping cough vaccine.

For more information on whooping cough and the increasing cases in Victoria, the Western Public Health Unit (WPHU) recommends reading the Health alert issued by the Victorian Department of Health, which is available by clicking here.