Prairie Mountain Health says they have seen a slight increase in cases of whooping cough (pertussis.)
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Amy Frykoda says they usually get cases around this time every year, but this year has been slightly higher.
"In Manitoba as of April 25th, it has been reported there were 22 cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, and within Prairie Mountain we have seen three of those cases."
Frykoda says that 20-30% of infants who develop whooping cough are admitted to the hospital, and of those admitted infants one in about 400 can die.
"They will die as a result from pneumonia or from brain damage. So, these complications that can happen from whooping cough are very severe. They don't happen frequently, but they are severe if they do happen."
It's common sense to take your infant to the doctors if you do think they have developed the infection, but Frykoda says you can do other things in order to prevent the spread of the infection.
"The other things to do if you have whooping cough are to stay home and avoid close contact with others such as, young children and women who are near the end of their pregnancy so you do not pass the whooping cough on to young children or newborn babies."
Frykoda says she hopes to encourage parents and realize the value of getting your child immunized for pertussis (whooping cough) as the best protection against it.
By: Keanna Nelson
