Those in contact with children regularly are being urged to get vaccinated against Whooping Cough by Manitoba Health after one person died from it.
The Province sent out the advisory Thursday after a spike in the condition in Manitoba. The upward trend in the number of annual cases has been on the rise over the last couple of years, so far in 2012 there have been 13 laboratory-confirmed cases, with one death.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough can resemble a mild cold, according to Manitoba Health. The symptoms can progress to severe bouts of coughing that can last for weeks. If infants or young children get infected with Whooping Cough it can be fatal, particularly for children less than one-year-old.
A free vaccine is available to primary caregivers of newborn infants, and adults who are due for a tetanus booster, who haven’t received the vaccine. Manitoba Health also urges people use proper coughing and hand washing etiquette to prevent infection.
Anyone with mild cold symptoms that have progressed to a severe cough after seven to 14 days are encouraged to seek out a doctor.
For more information: www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/protocol/pertussis.pdf.
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