Ōrewa College student diagnosed with whooping cough

A student at Auckland’s Ōrewa College has been diagnosed with whooping cough, prompting the school to alert families on Thursday after notification from the Public Health Nurse. The school warned that while the risk is low, students and staff who had contact with the infected person may develop symptoms, urging vigilance, especially for households with babies under 12 months. Health NZ notes symptoms typically appear about one week after infection. Initial signs include a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever, and coughing spasms, progressing to uncontrollable coughing fits, vomiting, and thick mucus after about a week.