PARENTS are being urged to vaccinate their children immediately.

There has been a massive spike in cases of whooping cough.

The North Coast Public Health Unit are asking parents to immunise their children against preventable diseases after a spike in cases of the potentially deadly whooping cough disease, reports Northern Star.

Acting Director of Public Health, Greg Bell, said there had been 37 whooping cough notifications on the North Coast in the last week, more than double that of the previous week.

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Related story – Mum shares 10 things parents who don’t vaccinate need to know

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“Anyone can contract whooping cough, it spreads easily by sneezing and coughing, and can be a life threatening infection for infants,” Mr Bell said.

This year there were 79 cases of whooping cough confirmed during the month of April in the Northern NSW Local Health District, according to statistics from the NSW Department of Health.

In 2016 this number was 77, in 2015 it was eight, just three in 2014 and four cases in 2013.

From the figures the current spike was no surprise to The North Coast Public Health Unit who anticipated a threat of the infection, Acting Director of Public Health, Greg Bell said.

From July, Family Tax Benefit A payments will be reduced by $28 a fortnight for each child who does not meet the immunisation requirements – read more on that here.

This week another toddler has been hospitalised with the rare vaccine preventable disease, tetanus.

People are also being urged to take advantage of a free measles vaccine following an outbreak of the potentially deadly disease in western Sydney. Find out more about that HERE>

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