Whooping cough in fourfold rise

The total number of cases so far in 2012 for the illness has already reached 4,791, compared with last year’s total number of cases, 1,118.

The figures, collected by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), also reveal that there have been nine whooping cough related deaths among infants aged three months or under this year. Six of them took place earlier this year, while another three infants died in August.

Dr Matma Vaidya, paediatric critical care consultant at Royal London Hospital Barts Health NHS trust told Channel 4 News that although whooping cough epidemics emerge once every five years, alarm at the latest outbreak has prompted the government’s actions: “What has been alarming is that babies have died from something that is eminently preventable and that is why the Department of Health has decided to go ahead and advice vaccinating pregnant women.

“Before today the same vaccine would have been used on newborn [under 2 months old] babies.

“The reason we haven’t given it to pregnant women before is because there hasn’t been such a high death rate among newborns. It’s they who are most vulnerable to dying from complications from a disease compared to an older child.”

Although whooping cough, an infectious bacterial disease, affects all ages, young babies are at highest risk of severe complications, many of which can lead to death. In older children and adults, the illness is unpleasant, but does not usually become any more serious.

The illness spreads when a person with the infection coughs and sheds the bacteria which reaches another person, normally through inhalation.

After disclosure of the figures, the Department of Health announced that pregnant women will now be offered the whooping cough vaccine to protect their newborn babies.

Continuing increase

Vaccines for the illness, which is also known as pertuissis, are normally given at two to four months. It is hoped that giving the vaccination earlier will boost the short term immunity passed on by women to their babies while they are still in the womb.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at the HPA, welcomed the earlier vaccinations.

“We have been very concerned about the continuing increase in whooping cough cases and related deaths,” she said.

“We welcome the urgent measure from the Department of Health to minimise the harm from whooping cough, particularly in young infants, and we encourage all pregnant women to ensure they receive the vaccination to give their baby the best protection against whooping cough.”