Photo: AUBERT / BSIP / BSIP via AFP
The Cook Islands has announced border checks in response to whooping cough cases in the wider region.
It follows outbreaks being declared in Samoa and New Zealand.
Health secretary Bob Williams told Cook Islands News flights from Auckland to Rarotonga remain full, and it is important for all new mums with newborn babies and the vulnerable older adults to take extra caution when out in public.
"Monitoring of symptomatic arrival passengers will commence this week by health officials at the border," Williams said.
"The National Coordination Team meets weekly to monitor the outbreak in NZ and Samoa with updates from the Polynesian Health Corridor Team."
American Samoa has also announced border checks.
An announcement from its Department of Health this week said passengers arriving in American Samoa who present with symptoms will be screened on arrival.
People are advised to watch out for symptoms, follow hygiene protocols, and inquire about vaccination.
Acting territorial epidemiologist Adam Konrote said they are intensifying vaccination efforts.
He said the threshold for American Samoa declaring an outbreak is one case.
Samoa's Ministry of Health declared a whooping cough outbreak last week, with six cases of the disease confirmed as 28 November.
It came days after New Zealand had done the same.
By late November, whooping cough cases in Aotearoa this year had surpassed 1000.
Whooping cough in Aotearoa New Zealand: What you need to know
- Childhood vaccinations to protect against whooping cough are needed at ages six weeks, three months and five months, and again at four years
- A further booster is given at age 11 years (school year 7)
- Vaccination is free for pregnant people
- Adults are eligible for one free booster from age 45 (if they have not had four previous tetanus doses) and can get one free from age 65
- Whooping cough causes breathing difficulties and severe coughing fits. The cough can go on for weeks or months which is why it is sometimes called the "100-day cough"
- People are most infectious in the early stages - with the first signs of whooping cough usually appearing around one week after infection
Symptoms (after about one week):
- A blocked or runny nose
- Sneezing
- A mild fever
- Uncontrollable coughing fits that last for a few minutes
- Coughing that leads to vomiting
- A thick mucus that can make you vomit or choke
- During coughing spells, young babies may gasp for air and may briefly stop breathing and turn blue