Whooping cough kills a Northern Saskatchewan infant

A baby died has died of whooping cough on a Northern Saskatchewan First Nation.

The five-week-old, premature infant died Tuesday and his twin sister remains in care at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon. A total of 22 cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been seen in Stanley Mission, a community about 300 kilometers north of Prince Albert, during the past two months.

“Stanley Mission is one of those areas that have the high numbers. It has been coming down since we put some measures into control it on the Oct. 24,” said Dr. Abayomi Olaniyi, the medical health officer of the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Agency, the organization that oversees health care on the First Nation.

Most of the cases are being seen in youth between Grade 6 and Grade 9, but two of the cases were in adults older than 50 years.

It was creating a lot of concern for the community, said Olaniyi.

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The concern is lessening now that more vaccinations are being given and there is increased protection, he said.

Stanley Mission isn’t alone is with their increased pertussis cases. The Ministry of Health has been seeing more cases province wide.

Health officials are looking at new policies to deal with the disease.

“We’re looking at starting making available from April of 2011 the tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis booster. So adults when it’s time to get their 10 year booster instead of getting their tetanus, diphtheria booster they can get their tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis booster,” said Dr. Saqib Shahab, said Saskatchewan’s deputy chief medical health officer.

The province has been adding vaccination programs including immunizations for care givers and infants older than six weeks, since 2003.

“This is just another step to do that and lower the overall rate of pertussis in the population,” Shahab said.

ahill@panow.com