10,000 cases of whooping cough Outbreak, ten deaths
As long as there are high levels of the virus, the Health Security Agency has advised pregnant women to get vaccinated in order to protect their unborn children.
In the UK, whooping cough has claimed the life of another baby, according to health experts.
The Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports that the youngster passed away in June.
In November of last year, there was an outbreak of whooping cough Outbreak, which is very contagious and attacks the lungs and breathing tubes.
Since then, the infection has claimed ten lives in the UK.
Whooping cough outbreak:
What are the signs and who is eligible for immunization?
The UKHSA reports that there are now more than 10,000 instances of the virus.
According to the most recent data, there were 2,427 cases of whooping cough registered in May of this year, which marked the peak of the outbreak.
According to the FDA, whooping cough cases that were reported between April and June of 2024 were “very high” compared to any other quarter since the last significant outbreak in 2012.
The outbreak was attributed to the cyclical disease’s “peak year” that was overdue and the COVID pandemic’s effects, which decreased the population’s antibody against whooping cough.
In order to safeguard their unborn children, the UKHSA has now advised expectant mothers to have vaccinations.
An effective immunization given at the appropriate time during pregnancy can prevent newborn death by 92%, according to evidence from England.
However, according to data from the UKHSA, 58.9% of pregnant women had the immunization in March of this year, down from 72.6% in 2017.
The six-in-one vaccination is administered to all babies in three doses at eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks of age to prevent whooping cough and other dangerous illnesses like polio and diphtheria.
Then, at three years and four months, infants who are preschool age are provided a booster.
Over 300 cases have been documented in infants under three months old, who are most at risk of dying or experiencing serious problems from the illness, despite the fact that the majority of cases were in people 15 years of age or older.
According to UKHSA, another baby has passed away from whooping cough.
According to government data, there were 10,000 cases in England from January to June of this year, and 10 people died from the current outbreak.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reports that one more baby has passed away from whooping cough, bringing the total number of newborn deaths from the disease in England during the current outbreak to ten.
The death occurred as the number of confirmed laboratory cases of whooping cough in England surpassed 10,000 in the year leading up to June, according to the most recent UKHSA data.
More than 300 cases have been documented in infants under three months old, who are most at risk from the virus, even though the majority of cases were in people 15 years of age or older.
It is believed that the latest outbreak started in England in November of last year.
Ten infants have died from whooping cough as a result of the outbreak since it started in November of last year. December 2023 saw one newborn fatality, while January through the end of June 2024 saw nine.
A bacteria that causes whooping cough, sometimes called pertussis, is spread through coughing, sneezing, or breathing close to an infected person. A low fever, intermittent coughing, and mild, cold-like symptoms are the early warning signs. The coughing bouts normally start following these, which typically last for one to two weeks.
According to some descriptions, the condition is “cyclical,” meaning that a few-year peak occurs in the number of patients. Experts have also stated that the coronavirus epidemic has lowered the general public’s immunity against the illness.
Once more, the whooping cough vaccine is advised for expectant mothers in order to safeguard their unborn children before the mothers are old enough to receive it.
It is recommended that pregnant women receive the vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy, while babies can receive their first dose of the vaccination at eight weeks of age.
The most recent statistics on vaccination uptake for the whooping cough vaccine given to expectant mothers shows that coverage is further declining, with coverage in March 2024 being at 58.9% as opposed to the peak coverage of 72.6% in the same month last year.
According to experts, the real number of cases is probably higher because, in the early stages, when the virus can be tested for, mild instances can be mistakenly identified as other respiratory ailments.
A whooping cough vaccination is given to expectant mothers at every stage of their pregnancy, ideally between weeks 20 and 32. This provides protection to their unborn child in the womb, shielding them from harm during the critical first few months of life, when they are most susceptible and unable to obtain their own vaccinations.
