Abstract

In the 12 months to May 1997, almost 1,800 cases of pertussis were notified in NSW, including the deaths of four small babies (Figure 5). Pertussis is highly preventable through immunisation, yet immunisation rates in NSW remain too low - the 1995 Australian Bureau of Statistics household survey found that 38 per cent of children under 7 years of age were not fully immunised against pertussis. Pertussis rates for the period June 1996 to May 1997, by Health Area, are shown in Figure 6.