The Department of Health, Victoria has issued a health alert, Increasing pertussis (whooping cough) cases in Victoria.
The key messages are:
o cases of pertussis are increasing in Victoria, mostly affecting children aged 10-12 years
o pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness known for causing a cough and can
lead to life threatening infections in babies
o symptoms of pertussis may be very similar to other respiratory infections, especially in
the early stages, meaning diagnosis by a doctor as soon as possible is important.

Families are reminded about the importance of seeing their General
Practitioner if their children exhibit any of the symptoms listed. 
Special note to consider any school community members (staff or parents/guardians/carers) who
are pregnant or who have infants under the age of six (6) months, to ensure this
important information is available to them.

If a student  is diagnosed with pertussis, the diagnosing doctor will be responsible for notifying the Department of Health.
The below exclusion periods apply to diagnosed cases and contacts:
For diagnosed cases:
o students diagnosed with pertussis should be excluded from primary schools for a minimum period of 21 days after the onset of cough, or until they have completed five (5) days of a course of effective antibiotic treatment
For contacts of diagnosed cases:
o The exclusion requirement only applies to contacts who meet all three (3) of the below
criteria:
- aged less than 7 years;
- in the same class as the student with the diagnosed case; and
- have not received three (3) effective doses of pertussis vaccine.
• Students meeting these criteria should be excluded for 14 days after the last exposure to the infectious case, or until they have taken five (5) days of a course of effective antibiotic treatment.