A third young baby has died from whooping cough this year.
The death has renewed calls from Te Whatu Ora Health NZ for pregnant people, babies from six weeks of age and their caregivers to be immunised against whooping cough.
There have been 11 cases of whooping cough in 2023 so far. The three infants who died from the infection this year were all under one year old.
Newshub understands the first two babies who died of whooping cough this year were aged just five and seven weeks and both Māori.
"Our condolences are with the three families who have lost tamariki to this highly infectious disease," Te Whatu Ora clinical lead Dr William Rainger said in a statement.
"Out of respect to the family, we will not be releasing any further information on the most recent death."
Te Whatu Ora said the third death is not related to the two earlier deaths reported by it on March 9.
The ratio of fatalities to identified cases is much higher than in previous years, suggesting there may be undetected spread in the community, Dr Rainger said.
"While reported cases remain low, these deaths are an urgent reminder that whooping cough is a serious illness, especially for younger babies," Dr Rainger said.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, starts like a cold with a runny nose, cough and fever, but worsens after seven to ten days causing coughing fits.
The illness is life-threatening to babies.
Parents should seek medical advice for their baby or young child if they have a cough that ends with a 'whoop' sound or vomiting.
"The best protection is to ensure that pregnant people, babies and those who will spend time with babies are all immunised," Dr Rainger said.
With school holidays and the long Easter weekend approaching, public health services are calling on people who are unwell with a new or worsening cough, sneezing and runny nose, or a fever to avoid visiting young babies.
Anyone with these symptoms who lives with a baby is urged to self-isolate or stay away from the baby as much as possible.
Caregivers of young babies too young to be vaccinated should consider not taking babies to places with large numbers of people indoors, Te Whatu Ora said.
Babies and young children can get their vaccine doses at six weeks, three months and five months. Booster doses are then available at four and 11 years old.
Immunising against whooping cough during pregnancy is 90 percent effective in protecting babies in their first few weeks of life. It is critical for pregnant people to be immunised from 16 weeks pregnant, every time they are pregnant, to help pass on immunity to babies before they are old enough to be vaccinated themselves, Te Whatu Ora said.
"The opportunity is here right now to get ahead of whooping cough by catching up on routine immunisations which protect pēpē, tamariki and whānau," Dr Rainger said.
The whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination is free for all children and young people aged under 18 years, pregnant people for every pregnancy, all adults at 45 and 65 years of age as immunity reduces.
