Eight babies in the UK have died in the whooping cough outbreak, health officials say.
Cases have also risen by 32 per cent between March and April, according to figures from the UK Health and Security Agency published today.
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In total, there have been 4,793 cases of whooping cough in 2024 against the 858 in 2023.
Some 342 cases (six per cent) have been in babies under one years old, around half have been in those aged 15 years or older and 26 per cent have been in children aged between 10 and 14 years.
The so-called ‘100 day cough’ is a bacterial infection of the lungs, medically called pertussis, that can last for several weeks.
Mothers and pregnant women have been urged to get the vaccine to protect their newborns.
In the 12 years prior to the introduction of maternal jab in October 2012, 63 babies under the age of one died of whooping cough.
There have been 29 baby deaths from 2013 to the end of April 2024, including the eight in 2024.
The UKHSA says they were all too young to be fully vaccinated, but that 23 of these mothers had not had the jab either.
Babies are given a jab at eight, 12 and 16 weeks old – with a booster at age three.
Medically known as pertussis, it tends to peak every five years or so. But the impact of the Covid pandemic – in which viruses and infections spread at a much lower rate during lockdowns – has also influenced outbreaks.
Vaccine uptake levels in pregnant women, babies and young children have fallen in recent years across England.
Maternal vaccine uptake fell from 74.7 per cent in December 2017 to 59.5 per cent in December 2023.
It’s led to experts warning of the ‘worst outbreak in 40 years’.
The virus starts with symptoms similar to a cold before a cough develops. Those affected can have coughing fits so severe they make a “whoop” cough as they gasp for breath.
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Full list of symptoms of whooping cough
WHOOPING cough is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.
The first signs of the condition tend to be similar to a cold – such as a runny nose, a sore throat, red and watery eyes, and a slightly raised temperature.
After about a week, other signs start to appear. These include:
- Coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night
- “Whoop” sounds as your gasp for breath between coughs
- Difficulty breathing after a coughing bout
- Turning blue or grey (children)
- Becoming very red in the face (adults)
- Bringing up thick mucus, which can make you vomit
- Bleeding under the skin or in the eyes
- Feeling very tired after coughing
The cough may last several weeks or months.
Babies under six months have an increased risk of problems such as dehydration, breathing problems, pneumonia and seizures.
Older children and adults may experience sore ribs, hernia, middle ear infections, and urinary incontinence.
Source: NHS