Whooping cough outbreaks declared in Iqaluit, Pond Inlet
Health department announcements follow outbreaks in Kugarruk and Naujaat, which were declared over last month
There's an outbreak of whooping cough in Iqaluit and Pond Inlet, Nunavut, according to the territory's chief public health officer.
The Department of Health announced the outbreaks in a pair of news releases Saturday. It said anyone can get the respiratory disease — also known as pertussis — but that the most severe cases are in children under the age of one.
Though it spreads easily from person to person, the department says it's preventable by getting vaccinated.
Symptoms of whooping cough include a low fever, a cough that lasts longer than a week or is followed by an unusual "whoop" sound, vomiting after coughing and coughing that is worse at night.
Anyone with these symptoms is told to stay home, avoid contact with others, and to contact their local health centre.
The department says whooping cough can spread from the time someone catches it — before they start coughing — until three weeks after their symptoms have started, or until they've been taking treatment for five days.
The department says whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics. They're urging people to get vaccinated against the disease, but also to curb the spread with frequent hand washing, coughing into tissues or sleeves, and not sharing food, drinks, utensils or toothbrushes.
Outbreaks of whooping cough that began in Kugaruuk and Naujaat in the spring were declared over last month.