There is a whooping cough outbreak in the Alberta Health Service (AHS) North Zone, with 182 confirmed cases so far this year, including three that required hospitalization.
Those 182 account for about half of the confirmed whooping cough cases in Alberta this year.
Jasper is a part of the North Zone, as are Hinton, Edson, Grande Prairie, and numerous other communities in between.
Whooping cough, which is also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection that causes severe coughing that can last for weeks and lead to pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage and even death.
It鈥檚 particularly serious in infants six months of age and younger.
To prevent the spread of whooping cough and to protect those at high risk of experiencing an aggravated case, AHS is encouraging all residents of the North Zone to be immunized.
AHS lists infants and preschool-aged children who aren鈥檛 up to date on their immunizations as high risk, as well as caregivers of infants, health care workers, women who are at least 26 weeks pregnant and individuals who are unsure of their own or their child鈥檚 immunization history.
In Alberta, immunization is free of charge through Alberta鈥檚 routine childhood immunization program, which recommends a series of doses starting at two months of age, then again at four months, six months and 18 months, as well as again in Grade 9.
Albertans who have not received a dose of pertussis vaccine since turning 18 are also eligible to receive a single additional dosage.
Whooping cough is highly contagious and usually affects children too young to have completed a full course of vaccinations.
AHS recommends that anyone who suspects they, or a family member, may be sick with whooping cough should stay at home and call a family physician or Health Link (at 811) before seeking medical care.
When prescribed treatment, people should stay home from work, school or child care until five days of antibiotics have been completed.
Immunization is available by appointment at public health and community health centres.
If you鈥檙e listed as someone who鈥檚 at high risk, do your part and get immunized.
Together we can prevent illness and the spread of disease.
To learn more about immunization, visit the AHS website: www.immunizealberta.ca.
