United States: Another infant has tragically succumbed to whooping cough in the UK, as confirmed by health authorities.
The infant’s demise occurred in June, per the Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
A whooping cough outbreak, which targets the respiratory system and proliferates with alarming ease, initiated in November of the previous year, according to the reports by SKY News.
Since then, the UK has recorded ten fatalities linked to this infection.
Cases have surged past the 10,000 mark, according to UKHSA data.
Recent statistics reveal that whooping cough cases hit their zenith in May this year, with the elevated figures persisting into June, amounting to 2,427 reported instances.
Although the majority of these cases were observed in individuals aged 15 years or older, over 300 infections were reported in infants under three months old, who are the most vulnerable to severe complications or death from the disease, according to SKY News.
The agency highlighted that confirmed whooping cough cases from April to June 2024 were “exceptionally high” and surpassed those in any quarter since the significant outbreak in 2012.
This resurgence is attributed to a “peak year” for the cyclical disease being overdue, coupled with the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic, which has diminished herd immunity against whooping cough.
The UKHSA has strongly urged pregnant women to receive the whooping cough vaccine to safeguard their newborns.
Evidence from England indicated that timely vaccination during pregnancy is very effective, providing around 92 percent protection against infant mortality, as reported by SKY News.
However, UKHSA data revealed a decline in vaccine uptake among pregnant women as of March this year, with only 58.9 percent receiving the vaccine, compared to 72.6 percent in 2017.
Dr. Mary Ramsay, UKHSA’s director of immunization, emphasized, “With cases continuing to rise and sadly ten infant deaths since the outbreak began last November, ensuring women are vaccinated in pregnancy has never been more important.”
“Our thoughts and condolences are with those families who have so tragically lost their baby,” Ramsay added, as per SKY News.
All infants receive three doses of the comprehensive six-in-one vaccine at eight, 12, and 16 weeks of age, protecting them against whooping cough and other serious illnesses such as diphtheria and polio.
Children are then offered a booster shot at three years and four months before they enter preschool.