During the corona pandemic and in the following years, the incidence of the bacterial disease whooping cough decreased in Europe. Now the infection numbers are pointing upwards again.
So far this year, over 32,000 cases of whooping cough have been registered in Europe, while in the whole of 2016, by comparison, just over 41,000 cases were registered.
Whooping cough is usually spread most during the summer months, and for children under six months, the disease poses a “high” health risk according to the ECDC.
For older children and adults over the age of 65, the risk of pertussis infection is described as “medium high”.
– It is a serious disease, especially for newborns. We have a safe and effective vaccine that can prevent it, says EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides.
Warns of fatal epistaxis
Whooping cough can be difficult to detect as the symptoms are largely identical to the common cold in that it causes a runny nose, low-grade fever and mild cough.
After one or two weeks, however, the symptoms worsen sharply and can cause violent and uncontrolled coughing fits that last for several months.
In Norway, the vaccine against whooping cough is included in the national child vaccination program and is recommended from the age of three months.
(NTB)
