Yahoo News Whooping cough: Symptoms of 100-day cough and how to prevent it as five babies die
Five babies have tragically passed away following a diagnosis of whooping cough, as England sees a surge in the number of cases. The PA news agency provides answers to frequently asked questions about the illness.
What exactly is whooping cough?
Known medically as pertussis, whooping cough is a bacterial infection that targets the lungs and airways. It's often referred to as the "100-day cough" due to the lengthy recovery period, and it's highly contagious.
What symptoms does whooping cough present?
Initially, whooping cough may resemble a common cold, with symptoms such as a runny nose and sore throat. However, after approximately a week, severe coughing fits can occur, lasting several minutes and intensifying at night, reports Wales Online.
Infants might produce a characteristic "whoop" sound or struggle to breathe after coughing, although not all exhibit this symptom.
Who is most at risk from whooping cough?
While individuals aged 15 and above account for 51% of cases, the disease poses the greatest threat to infants. In the first quarter of the year, 108 infants younger than three months were diagnosed with whooping cough.
What are the statistics on whooping cough cases?
From January to March, there were 2,793 reported cases of whooping cough, per UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data. March saw a peak with 1,319 cases, while January had 556 cases and February 918.
How does the current situation compare to previous years?
Throughout the entire of 2023, we saw a total of 858 cases reported.
Why has there been such an increase in cases?
UK Health Security Agency health officials explain that whooping cough can be considered a "cyclical disease", which means it sees regular peaks every few years - typically between three and five. The last major increase was back in 2016.
The noticeable dip in cases during the coronavirus pandemic is attributed to social distancing efforts and reduced social gatherings. However, this makes the current overdue peak even more concerning, according to UKHSA.
The agency also added that the impact of the pandemic has led to "reduced immunity in the population". Recent years have seen a decreasing trend in vaccination rates too.
What can people do to protect themselves?
Health officials are urging pregnant women to take up the offer of the whooping cough vaccine. This will help pass on protection to their babies until they're old enough to get vaccinated themselves.
Parents are being strongly advised to agree to vaccination for their children when it's offered to them.
Finally, when exactly can you get vaccinated?
As part of current NHS guidelines, all pregnant women are recommended to get the whooping cough vaccine sometime between weeks 16 and 32 of pregnancy. Once a baby is around eight weeks old, they're offered the six-in-one vaccine, this includes immunisation against whooping cough.
The second jab is offered at 12 weeks, followed by a third at 16 weeks. Once children reach the age of three years and four months, they are offered the four-in-one pre-school booster to protect against pertussis.
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