The number of whooping cough cases has remained steady in recent days, although the results of many tests are still pending.
There have been 26 confirmed cases of the illness in the Wanaka and Hawea areas since late July, plus 20 probable cases, Southern District Health Board (SDHB) medical officer of health Dr Marion Poore said.
In half of these cases, the patient had not been immunised against whooping cough, or their vaccinations were not up to date.
Elsewhere in the SDHB's area, there have been three confirmed and five probable cases _ six in Cromwell, one in Dunedin and one in Oamaru.
Two thirds of the confirmed and probable cases have been in children under the age of 15.
Doctors throughout the SDHB area have notified Public Health South of 188 possible cases of whooping cough.
''Notifications are only an indication of the true level of illness circulating in the community and [whooping cough] has been ruled out in approximately 45% of the notified cases,'' Dr Poore said.
''These cases are most likely caused by other winter ailments, such as bad colds and the flu.''
