REPORTS from Vanuatu say the death toll from a recent Whooping Cough outbreak is now seven, with three infants among the dead.
Six deaths occurred in Tanna and one in Shefa Province.
The deaths have prompted health authorities to call on the public to take preventive measures against the killer disease.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious and potentially dangerous respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
Patients often have severe coughing fits with a distinct “whooping” sound when breathing in.
On February 2, authorities said cases were declining from their peak in late 2025, with 760 reported cases – 732 clinically diagnosed and 28 laboratory confirmed.