What are the symptoms of whooping cough?

Early symptoms may include a runny nose, sneezing, mild fever and an irritating cough. Later, coughing can come in rapid clusters, especially at night, followed by a deep breath or a high-pitched whoop. The sound may be absent in babies, vaccinated people and some adults. Babies may instead have pauses in breathing, poor feeding or a blue tinge, so the illness can be serious without a classic whoop.

Contact a clinician promptly if a cough is prolonged, comes in violent bouts or follows exposure to whooping cough. Keep the person resting and limit close contact while awaiting advice, particularly around babies and pregnant people. Antibiotic treatment may be offered in selected circumstances and can help reduce spread when started at the right time.

Get emergency help for pauses in breathing, blue or grey lips, severe breathing difficulty, repeated choking, inability to drink or unusual drowsiness. Infants with coughing fits need urgent assessment because breathing can deteriorate quickly.

Ask whether testing or antibiotic treatment is appropriate, how long the person may be infectious, how to protect household contacts, and whether immunisation is up to date.