Whooping cough symptoms as UKHSA issues warning over rising cases
07.03.2024 - 21:25
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a warning after the number of whooping cough cases soared at the start of the year.
Health officials reported 553 new cases of whooping cough in January. That's more than half of the total number of cases recorded last year, which stood at 858 cases for the whole of 2023.
Whooping cough - a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes - is also known as pertussis. Symptoms can be similar to a cold, for example a runny nose and sore throat, but the condition often has a distinctive cough.
READ MORE: Grieving mum's 'biggest regret' after daughter, 30, dies following misdiagnosis
READ MORE: One in five people ignore this important smartphone notification
After a round a week, sufferers may notice coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night. There may be a distinctive 'whoop' sound, which is often noticeable in infants, and sufferers may have difficulty breathing after a bout of coughing.
The UKHSA said cases of whooping cough "rise cyclically every few years", with the last peak seen in 2016 when a total of 5,949 cases were recorded for the year.
The agency said that the latest rise in cases comes after infection rates were low during the pandemic, due to reduced social mixing. It also comes amid a steady decline in uptake of the whooping cough vaccine in pregnant women and children, health officials said.
The UKHSA is now urging parents to check that their child is vaccinated against whooping cough and reminding pregnant women to get the vaccine to protect their babies at birth. The vaccine is offered as part of the six-in-one jab when babies are eight, 12 and 16 weeks old.
The UKHSA said the number of two-year-olds who completed their