The Cough That Steals Breath — Whooping Cough in NZ

Whooping cough returned to New Zealand in 2024, and it is babies who pay the highest price. In this episode of the NZ Health Guide Series E, we look at what whooping cough is, why a cough can last for weeks, and how the disease moves through families, schools and communities. It covers the numbers from the epidemic declared on 22 November 2024: 263 cases in the four weeks to 15 November 2024, the highest four-week total of that year, and the fact that around half of babies under twelve months who catch whooping cough need hospital care. The national epidemic was declared over on 25 August 2026, though whooping cough still circulates in New Zealand. The episode explains the three stages of the illness, from the early cold-like symptoms to the violent coughing fits, and the long recovery that can stretch for weeks. It looks at why babies under six months are most at risk, how the bacteria spreads through coughing and sneezing, and what tests and treatments are used. It also covers the vaccines that protect against it: the free vaccine in pregnancy, most effective from 16 weeks, the doses at six weeks, three months and five months, and the boosters at four and eleven years. If your child is coughing and struggling to breathe, or a baby stops breathing or goes blue, call 111. For advice about immunisation, call the Vaccination Healthline on 0800 28 29 26, or PlunketLine on 0800 933 922. This episode is for education only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about a child, talk to your GP or call Healthline on 0800 611 116. Presented by NZ Health Guide, the series that works through New Zealand's health system, hospital by hospital — and now, story by story.