Whooping Cough Outbreak Claims Lives of 9 Infants in the UK

Nine infants have lost their lives since the onset of a whooping cough outbreak in November 2023, as per data released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

From November 2023 to May 2024, the disease has infected 7,599 individuals, affecting both children and adults. Whooping cough, which impacts the lungs and respiratory tubes and spreads readily, poses the greatest risk to young babies, the UKHSA emphasized in its alert.

The agency reported that more than half of those affected were 15 years old or older, experiencing mild symptoms. However, infants under three months old continue to bear the brunt of severe complications and fatalities from the infection.

Health professionals are urging pregnant women and infants to receive whooping cough vaccinations. UKHSA highlighted a decline in the percentage of pregnant women receiving these vaccinations to protect newborns, emphasizing the critical need for timely vaccination during pregnancy and infancy to safeguard vulnerable infants from serious illness.