Five babies have died from whooping cough this year amid a rise in cases across the country, alarmed health chiefs have revealed.
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 their highest in a decade.
For comparison, last year there were 858 cases in total.
Experts blame the resurgence on a drop in vaccine acceptance among children and expectant mothers, as well as a post-Covid resurgence caused by lower immunity due to pandemic social distancing.
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.
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.
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 and redness of the face.
UKHSA surveillance figures show that in total 2,793 cases were reported this year up to the end of March.
In comparison, 556 cases were recorded in January and 918 in February.
More than half (50.8 percent) were among people aged 15 and over, and more than a quarter (28.6 percent) were among children aged 10 to 14.
There were also 108 cases (3.8%) in babies younger than three months.
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.
PennsylvaniaRenters have been urged to check that their children have received both blows.
Without the shots, experts warn that people risk becoming seriously ill from the infection and passing it on to others.
However, uptake of the 6-in-1 vaccine (92.6 per cent) and the 4-in-1 vaccine (83.3 per cent) fell to record lows in 2023, according to NHS England data.
Meanwhile, only 61.5 percent of pregnant women received the whooping cough vaccine in 2022, the smallest number in seven years.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “Whooping cough can affect people of all ages, but for very young babies it can be extremely serious.”
“Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby.”
He added: “Vaccination remains the best defense against whooping cough and it is vital that pregnant women and young babies receive their vaccines at the right time.”
‘Pregnant women are offered the whooping cough vaccine with each pregnancy, ideally between 20 and 32 weeks.
“This passes protection to your baby in the womb so that he is protected from birth in the first months of his life, when he is most vulnerable and before he can receive his own vaccines.”
Meanwhile, NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “With cases of whooping cough continuing to rise sharply across the country and today’s figures sadly showing five child deaths, it is vital that families come forward to get the protection they need. .
‘If you are pregnant and have not yet been vaccinated, or your child is not up to date with whooping cough or other routine vaccinations, please contact your GP as soon as possible.
“If you or your child are showing symptoms, please make an urgent appointment with your GP or call NHS 111 for help.”
Whooping cough It is caused by the pertussis bacteria and is transmitted by coughing and sneezing.
Doctors prescribe 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.
Before the pandemic, between 2,500 and 4,500 suspected cases were registered each year. This number dropped to around 500 during the coronavirus crisis, as social distancing slowed the spread of most viruses.
But cases reached 1,728 in 2023 due to the post-pandemic rebound, in a trend that experts say is due to lower social immunity as a result of the Covid era. Similar trends were seen for viruses such as influenza and RSV.
However, rates are still nowhere near the annual high of 170,000 recorded in the 1940s. Routine pertussis vaccination in the 1950s dramatically reduced levels.
Health officials also acknowledged that whooping cough cases increase cyclically every few years. The last peak year, 2016, recorded 5,949 cases.