Whooping cough outbreak declared in Kugaaruk, Nunavut

Nunavut's health department has declared an outbreak of whooping cough in Kugaaruk.

In a public health advisory Thursday, the department said the illness — which can be contracted by anyone — is typically most severe in children under a year of age. Whooping cough is a respiratory disease that spreads easily.

The outbreak comes about a month after one was announced in Naujaat. Last December, the health department also issued a warning of an outbreak in Igloolik, which lasted nearly four months.

It asked people to be on the lookout for symptoms that include a cough lasting longer than a week or that gets worse at night, a cough followed by an unusual sound like "whoop", trouble breathing, vomiting after coughing, or a fever 39 C or higher that lasts more than three days.

People with those symptoms can call their health centre.

"If you or your child are mildly ill, stay home and avoid contact with others until your symptoms are gone," the health advisory reads.

The department said there is a vaccination for whooping cough, and measures like frequent hand-washing and not sharing food can help prevent it from spreading.