Vancouver Coastal Health has reported an increased number of whooping cough cases in the Pemberton area.
The health authority is urging residents to get tested or treated if you live in Pemberton and surrounding First Nations communities and are experiencing symptoms of pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough. Pertussis infection attacks the airways caused by pertussis bacteria.
It can infect adults, but young children are much more susceptible, according to a press release from Vancouver Coastal Health Monday (May 26).
Symptoms of the infection are like that of a common cold in mild cases whereas severe cases bring on a whooping or crowing sound when the person breathes in. The proper antibiotics will be able to help the coughing as well as stop the person from spreading the infection, if treated early enough.
According to the health authority, pertussis most commonly spreads when someone infected "coughs, sneezes or has close contact with others."
If you are unsure of your family's vaccination records, immunization records for school-age children are available through public health, local community health centres or on Health Gateway.
Vancouver Coastal Health recommends people who are pregnant be vaccinated against pertussis as the antibodies transfer to the baby. Adults are also recommended to get a booster dose of the pertussis vaccine once in adulthood. Vaccines are currently free for children who haven't started their immunizations yet, pregnant people and parents with babies under a year old.
