A SHARP rise in whooping cough infections in Bendigo is nearing epidemic levels, Bendigo Hospital chief medical officer Dr Andre Nel says.But Dr Nel says his patients, staff and visitors were adequately protected from the raging whooping cough infection that killed 14-day-old Bendigo tot Kristian James Reade.Kristian was born at Bendigo Hospital on February 1 but returned to the hospital at 10 days old with the infection.He spent more than two days there before he was transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where he died on Monday.“It’s getting to epidemic proportions. It’s certainly a much higher incidence than one would normally expect,” he said.“This is an issue across Victoria. This is not just a Bendigo issue but we are aware of a high incidence in Bendigo, but it’s around Victoria.”Dr Nel offered no explanation for the rise in cases.There have been 27 cases of whooping cough in Greater Bendigo alone this year, compared with nine for the same period last year and one in 2009. They have seen 99 cases so far this year in the Loddon Mallee, with 35 in the same period in 2010.Department spokesman Bram Alexander said this rise was proportional with other Victorian regions.Dr Nel said the hospital followed strict protocols for suspected whooping cough cases including surgical masks and gowns for staff and other safety precautions to contain the illness.“We have taken a lot of precautions in this case to make sure that people are safe and that our patients are safe,” he said.“Those protocols were followed, as in any case of this nature. We will be investigating if all of that was appropriate, but as far as we know it was appropriate in this case.”Whooping cough takes between six and 20 days to incubate, meaning Kristian could have contracted the infection inside or outside the hospital.Dr Nel urged parents to immunise their children and said new parents and any adult in regular contact with infants and children should get a booster shot.

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