Event Update: The Government of New Brunswick reports that the
whooping cough (Pertussis) outbreak is over in New Brunswick.
“Reported cases of whooping cough have diminished greatly in the
past weeks and we have declared the outbreak over,” said Dr.
Eilish Cleary, chief medical officer of health. ▲A total of
1,421 cases of whooping cough were reported in 2012 - the
largest outbreak ever reported in the province. Children from 10
to 14 years of age were most affected, followed by children 5-9
years of age and infants under 1. “Different initiatives were
put in place during 2012 to fight the rise of whooping cough in
New Brunswick, including a two-phased province-wide school-based
immunization campaign for students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 in the
east and south regions in the spring and students in Grades 7, 8
and 9 in the rest of the province in the fall,” said Cleary. The
coughing spells can end in a high-pitched “whooping” sound which
occurs when an infected child or infant inhales after coughing;
coughing spel