Whooping cough - New Zealand - Whooping cough ravages cadets

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Whooping cough ravages cadets

18/03/2006 14:20:02
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Thirty-four police recruits and 10 staff have been isolated after an outbreak of whooping cough. The Porirua Police College has separated the recruits and told the staff to stay home.

Spokeswoman Toni Barlow says only four people have been diagnosed with whooping cough since the beginning of March, but because it's so contagious anyone with a cough or flu-like symptoms has been separated from the others. Ms Barlow says outbreaks can happen easily because of the communal living at the college. But she says they are well-organised, with a clinic on-site.

Ms Barlow says those who have been isolated have been prescribed a five-day course of antibiotics and are being monitored.
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[Sally Furniss]

Re: New Zealand: Whooping cough ravages cadets

Re: New Zealand: Whooping cough ravages cadets

Police recruits isolated after whooping cough outbreak

18 March 2006 <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="5"><tbody><tr><td height="5">

</td></tr></tbody></table> By KELLY ANDREW

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]An outbreak of whooping cough at the New Zealand Police College in Porirua has affected up to 34 recruits and 10 staff.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Recruits who have symptoms of the virus, also called pertussis, have been confined to separate accommodation and cannot leave the college till they complete a five-day course of antibiotics and are no longer infectious. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Wellington medical officer of health Annette Nesdale said the first case of the notifiable disease had been reported by the college medical clinic last Wednesday. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]From Tuesday, recruits with a cough were moved into separate barracks to try to contain the virus. This week, three more pertussis cases were confirmed and other recruits are being tested. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Dr Nesdale said public health officials had been working closely with the college to prevent the disease from spreading. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Family members of the recruits had been contacted and she was not aware of any children falling sick. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Pertussis causes inflammation of the airways and can be a serious disease in babies and children, most of whom are vaccinated against the virus in infancy. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]In adults, the illness is more mild, and difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are a persistent dry cough that can last a few weeks and is worse at night. It spreads easily through airborne droplets. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The concern is that adults can infect vulnerable children, pregnant women and elderly people with the disease. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Police College spokeswoman Toni Barlow said viruses could spread quickly in a communal environment. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The 34 recruits were among about 200 who began training at the beginning of the year. They live at the Porirua college during the 19-week course. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Many of those being kept separate might have regular coughs and colds rather than pertussis, but the college wanted to take every precaution, she said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"They haven't been locked in their rooms. They've just been separated in an area of the barrack room at the college and they're eating separately." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Ten staff who were feeling unwell had been told to go home. However, the training courses were continuing and affected recruits were still able to study, Ms Barlow said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Dr Nesdale said whooping cough was circulating in the community and any adult who had an unexplained cough for two weeks should see their doctor. [/FONT]