Whooping cough cases on rise

Parents are being reminded to immunise their children after the WA Country Health Service revealed the region had experienced an increase in whooping cough cases in the past two years.

A total of 140 cases have been notified to the South West Public Health Unit so far this year - which is similar to last year - but twice as many compared to the same time in 2013.

The South West has one of the lowest rates of childhood immunisation in the State with rates for one-year-olds at about 91 per cent, 87 per cent for two-year-olds and 88 per cent for five-year-olds, according to the service's latest immunisation report.

WA Country Health Service South West public health physician Dr Naru Pal said the key to the success of the immunisation program was the concept of herd immunity, which relied on about 95 per cent of people in the community being vaccinated against some highly infectious diseases.

"We are working with the parents and immunisation providers to improve immunisation rates in the South West, with particular emphasis on the Busselton, Donnybrook and Balingup areas," he said.

"The protection period offered by vaccines differs from long-lasting to short and medium-term.

"Hence booster doses of some vaccines are needed to maintain immunity, such as for whooping cough."

Brecken Health Care general practitioner Dr Russell Wallis said this year had been worse for whooping cough compared to previous years.

"We are seeing eight-year-olds come in with whooping cough who were only vaccinated four or five years ago," he said.

"We are seeing it more than ever, even with immunisation programs, and I think there have been more than 140 cases of whooping cough in the South West."

Dr Pal said vaccinations protected immunised individuals and people who were too young to be immunised or those who were more vulnerable to serious complications due to various medical conditions.

"Immunisation is one of the most successful, safe and cost-effective health interventions to protect lives," he said.