Brits were today warned to watch out for symptoms of whooping cough amid a worrying rise in cases which has led to the deaths of five babies.
In 2024, almost 3,000 cases have already been recorded, triple the levels observed throughout 2023.
The growing outbreak is on track to be the largest in more than a decade.
Health chiefs say Covid lockdowns have fueled an unprecedented infection epidemic in England, dubbed the “100-day cough”.
Vaccination rates have also plummeted in the wake of the pandemic, a trend experts attribute to growing skepticism about vaccines.
But what are the telltale signs of whooping cough? How can you treat it? And how is it different from a cold?
Here MailOnline explains everything you need to know about the infection.
Health officials warned that it is initially difficult to differentiate the infection from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat. But about a week later, patients may develop coughing fits that last minutes, have difficulty breathing after coughing, and make a “screaming” sound between coughs. Other signs of whooping cough include the passing of thick mucus that can cause vomiting and redness of the face.
What is whooping cough?
Medically known as whooping cough, the bacterial chest infection commonly progresses through three stages, with the first being very similar to the common cold.
Sufferers may be left with a chronic cough that persists for several weeks.
Experts recommend Anyone with a persistent cough that has lasted more than two weeks should see a doctor.
Dr Safia Debar, executive GP at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London, said: “Especially if you also have symptoms like lethargy and fever, or have been in contact with someone with whooping cough, then definitely seek medical attention.”
Meanwhile, Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, said: “Whooping cough can have a very long infectious period, around two to three weeks, the period of time during which a infected individual is capable of transmitting the bacteria to others.
“Therefore, there may be many opportunities for people to mix, transmission to occur, and infection of a vulnerable individual, such as an infant, to occur.”
What are the symptoms?
Health officials warned that it is initially difficult to distinguish the infection from a cold, and the first signs are usually a runny nose and sore throat.
But about a week later, patients may develop coughing fits that last a few minutes, have difficulty breathing after coughing, and make a “screaming” sound between coughs.
Other signs of whooping cough, as it is medically known, include the passing of thick mucus that can cause vomiting.
Young children may turn blue or gray due to difficulty breathing, while adults may have red faces.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) bosses received 1,319 reports of laboratory-confirmed cases in England in March alone. It marks a 44-fold increase on the 30 recorded during the same month in 2023 and comes after MailOnline revealed earlier this year that cases of ‘100-day cough’ were at an all-time high in a decade.
More than half (50.8 percent) were among people ages 15 and older, and more than a quarter (28.6 percent) were among children ages 10 to 14. But pertussis rates remained highest in babies under three months old, UKHSA said, with 108 cases
Most children under six months require hospitalization after contracting whooping cough due to the risk of brain swelling and seizures.
Between one and three percent of children under three months old die from the disease.
In adolescents and adults, severe cases of whooping cough can cause pneumonia, fainting, and even rib fractures due to the intensity of the coughing attacks.
How is whooping cough treated?
Doctors often perform a throat swab to see if someone is infected with the Bordetella pertussis bacteria.
They are capable of Give antibiotics as treatment if whooping cough is detected within three weeks.
However, if a person has been infected for longer, antibiotics will not speed up recovery.
Doctors recommend focusing on managing symptoms by getting enough rest, staying hydrated, and using a cool mist humidifier to relieve cough.
Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can also help with discomfort.
Can it be prevented?
Because whooping cough is so infectious, experts recommend isolating yourself for at least five days while starting antibiotic treatment, if you suspect you have the disease.
However, the most effective preventable measure is getting vaccinated.
The 6-in-1 vaccine, given to babies aged eight, 12 and 16 weeks, and the 4-in-1 preschool booster, given to children aged three years and four months, are vital to protect against whooping cough.
Pregnant women are also encouraged to get vaccinated to protect their baby from contracting the infection during the first weeks of life.
However, uptake of the 6-in-1 vaccine fell to a record low of 92.6 per cent in 2023, while the 4-in-1 vaccine hit 83.3, also the lowest level ever recorded, according to NHS data. of England dating back to 2010. .
Meanwhile, only 61.5 percent of pregnant women received the whooping cough vaccine in 2022, the smallest number in seven years.
The figure is even lower in London (41.4 percent).
How is it different from a cold?
Whooping cough is similar to other types of respiratory diseases in the early stages.
Dr. Head said, “You’ll have some sort of cough and maybe a runny nose or fever.” It’s very, very difficult to differentiate at that stage between whooping cough and anything else.
“You can only really tell it’s whooping cough later in the performance when that distinctive ‘hoop’ sound goes off.”
Since not everyone experiences this symptom, the disease is difficult to diagnose accurately without laboratory tests, he added.
“That’s another reason why outbreaks are difficult to control and why vaccination is vital,” he said.
Surveillance statistics show that 2,793 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported this year as of the end of March.
Of them, 556 were registered in January, 918 in February and 1,319 in March.
Half (50.8 percent) were people aged 15 or older, and more than a quarter (28.6 percent) were children aged 10 to 14.
But rates remained higher in babies younger than three months, who are most at risk.