Tasmania Grapples With Whooping Cough Epidemic Amid Falling Jab Rates

Health authorities confirm a statewide whooping cough epidemic that began in 2024 is continuing, as new analysis shows childhood vaccination rates have fallen in most Tasmanian communities.

By Shoreline News Desk · 26 June 2026 AI-assisted

a modern Tasmanian suburban civic streetscape on Hobart's Eastern Shore, daytime, no identifiable people

Illustration (AI-generated)

Tasmania is in the midst of a sustained whooping cough epidemic, with health officials tracking thousands of cases since the outbreak began in early 2024.

According to a special report from Tasmania’s Department of Health, the current epidemic period of pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, was declared in early 2024 and was continuing as of February 2026. The state recorded 1,835 cases since the start of 2024, with 894 notifications in 2025 and 26 in January 2026. The highest incidence of infection has been among school-aged children between 5 and 17 years old.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can be particularly dangerous for infants under six months of age, who are most at risk of severe disease. The Department of Health noted 14 notifications in this vulnerable age group since the epidemic began.

The ongoing outbreak coincides with a documented drop in childhood immunisation coverage across the state. A February 2026 report from the Grattan Institute revealed that vaccination protection has fallen in four out of five Tasmanian communities since 2020. The analysis highlighted that in 2020, half of the state’s communities met the 95 per cent vaccination target for one-year-olds, but by 2025, only Brighton and North East Hobart achieved that rate.

Some areas have seen significant declines, with the Meander Valley and West Tamar region dropping from 93 per cent coverage for one-year-olds in 2020 to 84 per cent, the Grattan Institute found. Nationally, childhood vaccination rates are at a 10-year low.

Public health authorities describe immunisation as the most effective way to protect against whooping cough. The vaccine is provided free under the National Immunisation Program for babies, young children, and through school programs. Vaccination is also strongly recommended for pregnant women between 20 and 32 weeks of each pregnancy to protect their newborns.

The ABC’s TassieCast program recently explored the link between the state’s whooping cough epidemic and declining vaccination rates.