The number of whooping cough cases in the Bendigo area has spiked this year, with 56 already reported - a 40 per cent increase on the number of cases for the whole of 2018.
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The surveillance data from Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services shows there were just 18 cases of pertussis at the same time last year within the City of Greater Bendigo.
Bendigo Community Health Service's director of primary health, Graem Kelly, said health services in the area had seen an increase in respiratory illnesses generally this year.
Mr Kelly said it served as a timely reminder for residents to ensure they and their families were immunised against such illnesses, some of which could be very serious.
Central Victoria's immunisation rates among five-year-olds are higher than the state and national averages.
Mr Kelly said the government's move to link family payments to immunisation had improved take-up, although there were still people who "choose to ignore the evidence of the strong need for and strong importance of immunisation".
At this time in 2017, 25 people had been diagnosed with whooping cough in Greater Bendigo, and in 2016 there were 34. The total number of cases for each of those years was 32 and 55, respectively.
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The number of people diagnosed with whooping cough in 2015, however, was higher at 183, and in 2011 there were 288 cases.
Loddon Shire has also seen a jump in the number of cases this year, with 15 recorded so far. It only had one case last year, two in 2017 and three in 2016.
So far this year Campaspe Shire has seen eight diagnoses of the illness, while in total there were six last year and seven the year before that.
But some parts of the region have seen fewer cases in 2019 than the previous year.
Mount Alexander Shire has had three reports of the illness so far, as opposed to eight at the same time last year, while there have been 21 in Macedon Ranges Shire compared to 27 at the same time in 2018.
Numbers of cases in Central Goldfields Shire remain steady, with just one reported to date this year, and the previous two years.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
