November 29, 2024 • 6 mins
Whooping Cough
A national epidemic has just been declared in New Zealand. Reported 260+ cases diagnosed in past four weeks. Whooping cough is potentially a fatal disease especially in younger children and babies less than one year. Three babies died last year in New Zealand from whooping cough when we didn’t have an epidemic!
What is whooping cough?
- Caused by a bacteria called pertussis.
- .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}Mark as PlayedTranscript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
At be Doctor Brian Betty is here this morning. Calder Brian,
Kira Jack.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Nice to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, nice to be speaking with you. You know, it is
really concerning, isn't it. More than two hundred and sixty
cases of hooping cough have been diagnosed in the last
four weeks. The national epidemic has just been declared in
New Zealand, and hooping cough's really serious.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Look, it is really serious. It's this epidemic is a
real concern. Look, last year we didn't have a hooping
cough epidemic, yet three babies died in New Zealand from
hooping cough, so it is a very very serious disease. Now, look,
it's caused by bacteria called tussis, and this bacteria gets
into the lungs and the throat and it damages the
(00:55):
lining and the thing you start to has this cough
which can go on for weeks or months, and we
call that the one hundred day cough. Really really easy
to catch, so once it's in the community, it's very
very transmissible through coughing and sneezing, and one person with
hooping cough is quite likely to spread it to twelve
of other people. So very very infectious and a real concern,
(01:19):
especially for our babies less than one year of age.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, what are the signs?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah, look, it depends on your age. So look, the
basic rule of thumb is the younger the child, the
more at risk of becoming very unwell. But what we
see is it starts with a running nose and a
temperature and sneezing. So it's a lot colder of fluid
that can last for one to two weeks. But then
this cough develops. Now, this cough is incredibly irritating. You
(01:46):
can get this bounce of coughing that can go on
for two to three minutes, with this gasping for air
in between coughs, and we call it a hoop that
the kids sort of gasp for air, and it's very distinctive. Now,
this cough can last for minutes and it often ends
in a small vomit at the end of the cough
because the child is so distressed. Now, the older child
(02:06):
can get this hoop. But what's really really important to
note that in younger infants less than six months of age,
they don't get this typical hoop. They can get these
coughing spasms and what you can see is a child
goes a little blue or so I knows, because it
can't quite breathe. They're not able to feed, which becomes
a real difficult issue, and they get very very tired
(02:27):
or exhausted. So these young babies may actually need to
end up in the hospital so they can be fed
and get oxygen supper in patients. So look, I'm very
very difficult. Now. The thing about hooping coughers takes up
three months to get better, so it goes for a
long long time. And what's why we call it one
hundred day cough. It's got a particular name. So yeah, look,
(02:50):
real concern that we've got this epidemic in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
And so obviously it's it's children and partially immanimi iminized
babies and stuff that are most at risk.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Right yeah, look, look that's exactly right. So if you
haven't had your full immunizations less than the age one
and that they happen at six weeks, three months, and
five months, you're underprotected, so that the child is at risk.
But the big big group we get really concerned about
is less than six weeks of age, because those children
(03:21):
haven't got to the point of having their first munization
and they are at one hundred percent risk of hooping
cough and it can be really, really, very very difficult
for our little Peppe or Timeruki in those situations.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
How do you treat it? Brian?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah, look, really good question. So a couple of things here. Look,
if you suspect it, we do a nasal swab to
try and diagnose it. And if it is diagnosed, we
can use antibiotics. Now, the earlier we use those in
the course of the disease, the better. It's an antibodic
called erythromisin. It's a very specific antibiotic. Now, the antibodic
(03:58):
may reduce the severity, but it won't necessarily clear up
the hooping cough. This is really important to understand. So
you can still have the cough, which can go on
for the one hundred days is called, but it reduces
the spread of the infection and that's what's really really
important about the antibiotics. Now, the thing about the cough,
and it's very specific, is once you get the cough,
(04:19):
there is no treatment. There is nothing we can give
you which will stop the cough. So that goes back
to our little babies that if they are having difficulty
breathing or feeding with the cough, we don't have a treatment,
and so that's why they probably may need to go
to hospital for oxygen treatment or to have what we
call nasy gastrict tubes put in to feed them. So yeah,
(04:40):
so the cough is not treatable, and that's the real,
real key thing about it.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
How do you prevent it? And when should you see
the doctor?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, look, good questions. So look are we blunt about it?
Immunization is the only protection. So immunizing your children it's
six weeks, three months, and five months for hooping cough
is the only thing that will stop hooping cough causing
causing real real problems. Now for those babies less than
six weeks, we can't immunize because they're too young. So
(05:11):
this is really this is probably the key message. If
you are pregnant, if you're a pregnant mum, then the
way you protect your baby who's less than six weeks
of age is getting an immunization or a hooping cough
booster from sixteen weeks onwards in your pregnancy that will
give the baby protection and give them some sort of
protection against hooping cough and at the moment, with hooping
(05:31):
coughs sort of racing around the country, that's a really
really key important thing to do. So if you're pregnant,
please discuss it with your midwife, discuss it with your GP,
discuss it with your nurse about getting a hooping cough
facination at sixteen weeks. Look partially umanized kids are at risk.
(05:52):
We know that, but look a couple of basic things.
If your child is really coughing a lot, having difficulty breathing,
or looks on well, please see your doctor, but call
an ambulance. If your baby is coughing it goes blue,
or if you notice it stops breathing or anything like that,
make sure you call an let's get to a hospital. So, yeah,
(06:12):
look something we need to be very very cognizant of
and concerned about at this point. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Absolutely, Hey, Brian, we really appreciate your help as ever,
Brian Betty.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
There for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen
live to News Talks ed b from nine am Saturday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
At be Doctor Brian Betty is here this morning. Calder Brian,
Kira Jack.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Nice to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, nice to be speaking with you. You know, it is
really concerning, isn't it. More than two hundred and sixty
cases of hooping cough have been diagnosed in the last
four weeks. The national epidemic has just been declared in
New Zealand, and hooping cough's really serious.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Look, it is really serious. It's this epidemic is a
real concern. Look, last year we didn't have a hooping
cough epidemic, yet three babies died in New Zealand from
hooping cough, so it is a very very serious disease. Now, look,
it's caused by bacteria called tussis, and this bacteria gets
into the lungs and the throat and it damages the
(00:55):
lining and the thing you start to has this cough
which can go on for weeks or months, and we
call that the one hundred day cough. Really really easy
to catch, so once it's in the community, it's very
very transmissible through coughing and sneezing, and one person with
hooping cough is quite likely to spread it to twelve
of other people. So very very infectious and a real concern,
(01:19):
especially for our babies less than one year of age.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, what are the signs?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah, look, it depends on your age. So look, the
basic rule of thumb is the younger the child, the
more at risk of becoming very unwell. But what we
see is it starts with a running nose and a
temperature and sneezing. So it's a lot colder of fluid
that can last for one to two weeks. But then
this cough develops. Now, this cough is incredibly irritating. You
(01:46):
can get this bounce of coughing that can go on
for two to three minutes, with this gasping for air
in between coughs, and we call it a hoop that
the kids sort of gasp for air, and it's very distinctive. Now,
this cough can last for minutes and it often ends
in a small vomit at the end of the cough
because the child is so distressed. Now, the older child
(02:06):
can get this hoop. But what's really really important to
note that in younger infants less than six months of age,
they don't get this typical hoop. They can get these
coughing spasms and what you can see is a child
goes a little blue or so I knows, because it
can't quite breathe. They're not able to feed, which becomes
a real difficult issue, and they get very very tired
(02:27):
or exhausted. So these young babies may actually need to
end up in the hospital so they can be fed
and get oxygen supper in patients. So look, I'm very
very difficult. Now. The thing about hooping coughers takes up
three months to get better, so it goes for a
long long time. And what's why we call it one
hundred day cough. It's got a particular name. So yeah, look,
(02:50):
real concern that we've got this epidemic in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
And so obviously it's it's children and partially immanimi iminized
babies and stuff that are most at risk.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Right yeah, look, look that's exactly right. So if you
haven't had your full immunizations less than the age one
and that they happen at six weeks, three months, and
five months, you're underprotected, so that the child is at risk.
But the big big group we get really concerned about
is less than six weeks of age, because those children
(03:21):
haven't got to the point of having their first munization
and they are at one hundred percent risk of hooping
cough and it can be really, really, very very difficult
for our little Peppe or Timeruki in those situations.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
How do you treat it? Brian?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah, look, really good question. So a couple of things here. Look,
if you suspect it, we do a nasal swab to
try and diagnose it. And if it is diagnosed, we
can use antibiotics. Now, the earlier we use those in
the course of the disease, the better. It's an antibodic
called erythromisin. It's a very specific antibiotic. Now, the antibodic
(03:58):
may reduce the severity, but it won't necessarily clear up
the hooping cough. This is really important to understand. So
you can still have the cough, which can go on
for the one hundred days is called, but it reduces
the spread of the infection and that's what's really really
important about the antibiotics. Now, the thing about the cough,
and it's very specific, is once you get the cough,
(04:19):
there is no treatment. There is nothing we can give
you which will stop the cough. So that goes back
to our little babies that if they are having difficulty
breathing or feeding with the cough, we don't have a treatment,
and so that's why they probably may need to go
to hospital for oxygen treatment or to have what we
call nasy gastrict tubes put in to feed them. So yeah,
(04:40):
so the cough is not treatable, and that's the real,
real key thing about it.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
How do you prevent it? And when should you see
the doctor?
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, look, good questions. So look are we blunt about it?
Immunization is the only protection. So immunizing your children it's
six weeks, three months, and five months for hooping cough
is the only thing that will stop hooping cough causing
causing real real problems. Now for those babies less than
six weeks, we can't immunize because they're too young. So
(05:11):
this is really this is probably the key message. If
you are pregnant, if you're a pregnant mum, then the
way you protect your baby who's less than six weeks
of age is getting an immunization or a hooping cough
booster from sixteen weeks onwards in your pregnancy that will
give the baby protection and give them some sort of
protection against hooping cough and at the moment, with hooping
(05:31):
coughs sort of racing around the country, that's a really
really key important thing to do. So if you're pregnant,
please discuss it with your midwife, discuss it with your GP,
discuss it with your nurse about getting a hooping cough
facination at sixteen weeks. Look partially umanized kids are at risk.
(05:52):
We know that, but look a couple of basic things.
If your child is really coughing a lot, having difficulty breathing,
or looks on well, please see your doctor, but call
an ambulance. If your baby is coughing it goes blue,
or if you notice it stops breathing or anything like that,
make sure you call an let's get to a hospital. So, yeah,
(06:12):
look something we need to be very very cognizant of
and concerned about at this point. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Absolutely, Hey, Brian, we really appreciate your help as ever,
Brian Betty.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
There for more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame. Listen
live to News Talks ed b from nine am Saturday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
Come hang with Amy Poehler. Each week on her podcast, she'll welcome celebrities and fun people to her studio. They'll share stories about their careers, mutual friends, shared enthusiasms, and most importantly, what's been making them laugh. This podcast is not about trying to make you better or giving advice. Amy just wants to have a good time.