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In the face of the whooping cough epidemic, a vaccination campaign will be launched
The latest health surveillance bulletin reports 17 new cases of whooping cough in Polynesia. This brings the number of confirmed cases since June 14 to 85. The Health Department is mobilizing to launch a vaccination campaign to stop this highly contagious disease.
Eric Tang , Editorial Polynesia 1ère • Published on September 9, 2024 at 4:17 p.m., updated September 9, 2024 at 4:34 p.m.
According to the health surveillance bulletin, in the last week of August, 17 confirmed cases of whooping cough were reported. All reside in Tahiti. As of the morning of September 4, 7 cases have been reported. A case diagnosed in Tahiti could have been contaminated in Rikitea.
Of the 85 cases investigated, 6 children required hospitalization, including 4 infants aged 3 months or less. In addition, one person diagnosed in early September was hospitalized at the CHPF maternity ward.
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The Health Directorate is working on setting up a targeted and free vaccination campaign that will probably be launched within 10 days.
Pregnant women, women who have just given birth, early childhood professionals and health professionals in contact with toddlers will be vaccinated as a priority.
For Dr. Laurence Rochat Stettler, a specialist in infectious and tropical diseases at the Health Department, whooping cough can be fatal for the youngest: "The infant is not protected...he has no protection against this disease. In babies, it can, due to the inflammatory reaction in the airways, lead to occlusion of the airways which are very small, with coughs that will try to clear them. But these coughs can be long and lead to asphyxiation of the child."
Recommendations
In French Polynesia, given the epidemiological situation (early phase of circulation, vaccination coverage in children, number of cases, low hospitalization rate), it is still recommended to prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis:
- to all children in the household who have not been vaccinated or have not been properly vaccinated (having received less than 3 doses);
- to all persons in the household who are not up to date with their vaccinations or who have not received a dose of whooping cough vaccine in the last 5 years;
- to occasional contact subjects at risk of serious form (infants, people over 80, chronic diseases, immunocompromised people);
- to occasional contact subjects in contact with people at risk of serious illness.
Regarding antibiotic therapy, Dr. Laurence Rochat Stettler specifies that it "is recommended above all to reduce carriage and contagiousness but has little effect on the progression of the disease."
The strategy will be reviewed and adapted as the situation evolves.
In the face of the whooping cough epidemic, a vaccination campaign will be launched
The latest health surveillance bulletin reports 17 new cases of whooping cough in Polynesia. This brings the number of confirmed cases since June 14 to 85. The Health Department is mobilizing to launch a vaccination campaign to stop this highly contagious disease.
Eric Tang , Editorial Polynesia 1ère • Published on September 9, 2024 at 4:17 p.m., updated September 9, 2024 at 4:34 p.m.
According to the health surveillance bulletin, in the last week of August, 17 confirmed cases of whooping cough were reported. All reside in Tahiti. As of the morning of September 4, 7 cases have been reported. A case diagnosed in Tahiti could have been contaminated in Rikitea.
Of the 85 cases investigated, 6 children required hospitalization, including 4 infants aged 3 months or less. In addition, one person diagnosed in early September was hospitalized at the CHPF maternity ward.
...
The Health Directorate is working on setting up a targeted and free vaccination campaign that will probably be launched within 10 days.
Pregnant women, women who have just given birth, early childhood professionals and health professionals in contact with toddlers will be vaccinated as a priority.
For Dr. Laurence Rochat Stettler, a specialist in infectious and tropical diseases at the Health Department, whooping cough can be fatal for the youngest: "The infant is not protected...he has no protection against this disease. In babies, it can, due to the inflammatory reaction in the airways, lead to occlusion of the airways which are very small, with coughs that will try to clear them. But these coughs can be long and lead to asphyxiation of the child."
Recommendations
In French Polynesia, given the epidemiological situation (early phase of circulation, vaccination coverage in children, number of cases, low hospitalization rate), it is still recommended to prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis:
- to all children in the household who have not been vaccinated or have not been properly vaccinated (having received less than 3 doses);
- to all persons in the household who are not up to date with their vaccinations or who have not received a dose of whooping cough vaccine in the last 5 years;
- to occasional contact subjects at risk of serious form (infants, people over 80, chronic diseases, immunocompromised people);
- to occasional contact subjects in contact with people at risk of serious illness.
Regarding antibiotic therapy, Dr. Laurence Rochat Stettler specifies that it "is recommended above all to reduce carriage and contagiousness but has little effect on the progression of the disease."
The strategy will be reviewed and adapted as the situation evolves.
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