Pertussis in Spain (Canary Islands)

01 Nov 2012

Between January and October 2012, 1042 cases of pertussis have been reported in the Canary Islands, this compares with 695 cases in 2011 and 14 in 2010. Gran Canaria was the most affected area with 482 cases, followed by Tenerife (470), Fuerteventura (38), Lanzarote (31), La Palma (12) and La Gomera (9). Of these, 78 patients have been hospitalised.

Advice for Travellers

Parents should ensure that children have received their routine immunisations against pertussis as per UK national immunisation schedule. Immunisation against pertussis is not recommended for children over the age of 10 or adults in the UK but in many countries, including Australia, US and Canada, a booster dose in adolescence is part of the national vaccination schedule.